The Return of the Forgotten
by Gerbilftw
Summary: Ash has been away from civilization for a long time. But then he somehow receives an invitation, if he accept it he's bound to meet up with his past. Will he be able to do that? Advanceshipping and other ships, a small Ash-harem, Orange vs Egoshipping.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello and welcome to my first FF-story "The Return Of The Forgotten"!**

**Before you read this I want to explain some things for you:**

**1. Don't review about how much you like some others ships more than the story's.**

**2. The grammar seems bad in the beginning, but it will get better in each chapter! (I'm from Sweden and English isn't my main language.)  
**

**3. If you leave a negative comment, please put the things you liked about the story in it too! (and if you didn't like anything.... don't read it!)**

**4. Feel free to review on EVERY chapter! (Just because the story is finished doesn't it mean that I don't want to have reviews!)**

**Enjoy the story!  
**

* * *

A young man, around 17 years old, looked out of the snowy mountains of Kanto, he had short, raven-black hair and was about 6.2 feet tall and had a slight muscular built body.

He was wearing a long black cape that reached to his feet and had a hood covered over his head. His clothing looked very odd, if he had been in a crowd of people, but now he was alone, and he liked it that way. But it's wrong to say that he was completely lonely, on his right shoulder sat a little yellow rodent.

"four years Pi," said the young man. "I can't believe that it has already gone four years." His voice was deep but clear.

"Pika, pikachu PikaPi." The yellow rodent, Pikachu, answered him.

"I don't know what I'm gonna do next Pi, I mean. It's not like we have a home to go to, not anymore." He added with a sigh.

"Pika pi chu?" the Pikachu replied.

"No, I don't regret what I did, it was the right thing to do, wasn't it?" The seventeen year old asked.

Pikachu just nodded its head in agreement.

The young man looked down at the letter again, he had read it a few times before after that Pidgey came and delivered it. But he did it again now.

_Dear Mr. Ash Ketchum_

_You have been nominated to participate in the Top Battle Competition. _

Ash frowned, he knew that almost anyone could nominate anybody to the tournament, all that you needed to have were a pokemon. But he continued reading the letter.

_Due to your absence we have no idea if you can come or not. If this letter reach you you'll be needed to report your entry at a local Pokemon Center. At the Pokemon Center you will receive the rest of the information._

_Have a nice day_

_Mr. Charles Goodshow._

The letter didn't end there, or in a way it did. Next came a handwriting part.

_I certainly hopes that this letter will reach you, I need to discuss with you about that thing, meet me at __the Viridian Forest the 3 days after the next month._

_Best regards_

_Scott_

Ash couldn't help but smile when he read the last part of the letter. "_It's good to know that he's still alive and active."_ Ash thought.

* * *

It's was the second day after this month, it meant that tomorrow Scott would be waiting for him at the Viridian Forest.

"Do you think I should go Pi?" He asked his loyal friend.

"Pikachu!" It replied to his master with a slightly annoyed tone.

"I know that it's my decision, but remember that you battle for me and I don't want to force you to do something that you maybe not want to do!" Ash said and slightly raised his voice.

"Pika cu PikaPi!"

"You say that it doesn't matter what I say, you will follow me wherever I go?" Ash asked, even if he didn't need to because he understood every word Pikachu said at this time.

"Pika!" It said and tried to do a little salute with it's paw.

"Thanks buddy." Ash said with a slight of pride of his pokemon in his voice. "I think we should give it a try." He said and headed back to the cave.

The cave he was staying in at the moment went deep into the mountain, but there were no pokemon in it except his own. Ash went to his backpack and started to pack it, he took a look on his pokéballs.

There they were, all of his 26 pokemon, including Pikachu. He automatic went through all his pokemon in his head. "Pikachu, Staraptor, Torterra, Gliscor, Infernape, Floatzel, Kingler, Muk, Tauros, Snorlax, Heracross, Typhlosion, meganium, Feraligatr, Noctowl, Donphan, Crawdaunt, Sceptile, Torkoal, Swellow, Glalie, Blastoise, Charizard, Pidgeot and his last caught pokemon, only a year has he had him and he's one of the strongest in his team.

He thought back to his pokemon, They had all, except Pikachu, evolved to their last evolution. Even Bulbasaur, they did it because they wanted to help him, according to them. He remembered how he only could take one Tauros with him since 30 of them would be too much for him to handle.

He also remembered when Pidgeot and Charizard came flying to him just after he had left his old life behind him, he remembered the tearful reunion. He also remembered when Squirtle came running to him through the woods three months after he met up with Charizard and Pidgeot.

He remembered that he nearly hadn't finished to explain why they left to his pokemon before they all said in their own way that they should follow him to the end of the world and even farther. Ash slightly laughed when he remembered Muk's body all over him and Torkoal with tears running down his face and the dancing little Totodile.

He shook the thoughts off his head and packed the pokeballs down to his bags. Except he attached Charizard, Sceptile, Infernape, Feraligatr, Glalie and of course Pikachu's pokeballs on his belt. He still used the just-six-pokemon-with-you rule... in his own way.

He walked out of the cave and threw a pokeball in the air and yelled "I choose you Charizard!" The big red lizard roared when he exited his pokeball.

"Charizard, I need you to fly me to the Viridian Forest, can you do that?"

Charizard roared once again in approval.

"Thanks, let's go Pi!" He said. The little rodent jumped on his right shoulder and Ash mounted Charizards back.

Charizard took of and accelerated with a speed that would put the law of gravity to shame. "_So it's finally the time for me to return." _Ash thought a moment and chuckled slightly before he said: "OK Pi, It's time for the _Return of the Forgotten_!", "Pi PikaPi!" Pi cheered in a high tone and Charizard roared again in approval.

"_So it begins..._" Ash thought as they continued fly to the Viridian Forest.

* * *

**Too short? Don't worry, it will get longer in the later chapters!**

**In this story Ash calls his Pikachu for both Pi and Pikachu, don't ask me why... He just do it.**

**R&R! (both this, next and next and next and....)  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Well, looks like I'm already done with the second chapter!**

**I've tried to add a battle scene in it, but because it's the first time I write those things you need to tell me if it was good and what I can improve.**

**You'll also see a little advanceshipping in this chapter!**

**Enjoy the story!**

**I don not own Pokemon or any of the characters in it! (Is that really necessary?)  
**

* * *

It was the third day after the month. A man stood in a glade and looked like he was waiting for someone. The man was rather fat and was about 5,4 foot tall, he had white shorts and a blue Hawaii-shirt. His hair were brown and he had sunglasses.

His name was Scott, the owner of the Battle Frontier. He still had his round cheerful face, but now it looked worried and at the same time a little bit of excited.

"_I wonder if he received the letter and decided to come. Nobody has seen him for four years." _Scott thought as he stood there waiting.

The clock had pasted 18:00 as the sound of a great roar reached Scott's ears. The roar was so loud and strong that it made all the forest pokemon run away in fear.

"_He's here."_ Scott thought with a smile.

* * *

A few minutes before (with Ash).

"We're almost there guys!" Ash yelled over the sound of the air passing him.

"_I wonder if he's alone. Maybe, just maybe she's there to." _ Ash thought. "_Nah, why would she, I left without a word. I didn't say anything to anybody."_

"Pikachu, pika pi?" Pikachu asked his master.

"No, I'm okay Pikachu, just thinking on some good memories." Ash answered while rubbing the rodent behind its ears.

* * *

_Flashback_

_A 12½ year old boy_ _with a red cap and a black shirt with three yellow stripes on it (his Sinnoh clothes) was running after a 11½ year old girl with brown hair that was wearing something that looked like a bike cycle outfit, she had a green bandana wrapped around her hair._

"_You can't catch me Ash!" The girl yelled to the boy playfully._

"_Come on May, slow down!" Ash called after her._

"_I do it if you catch me!" May yelled back._

_Ash took her word to his heart and increased his speed, soon he was so close that he almost could reach her. But then suddenly, she tripped over a little rock with her foot._

_She fell straight to the ground with a loud sound. Ash jumped over her quick due to his speed so he wouldn't run into her._

_He quickly went over to her side._

"_May, are you OK?" He asked._

_His only response was that May held her hand on her knee and tears filled her eyes._

"_Here, let me see." Ash said as he moved closer._

_May nodded and let Ash take a look at her knee. Ash saw that it didn't look too bad, but you could see that she was in pain._

"_May, can you walk?" Ash asked in a concerned tone._

"_I... I think so." May answered with a unsteady voice._

_She tried to stand up but fell to the ground right after. She then tried again and the same results happened._

"_I can't, you have to go and get help." She said._

"_And leave you here? No way!" Ash said._

"_Then what are you gonna do?" the brunette girl asked him._

"_You'll see." Ash said as he wrapped his arms around her._

"_A... Ash, wh...what are you doing?" May asked and blushed deep red._

"_You'll see" Ash said again._

_Suddenly Ash took his left arm under her legs and picked her up bridal style. Now it was Ash's turn to blush as he carried an even more blushing May back to her house._

_Neither of them said a word on the whole little journey to the house._

_When they got close they heard a "Pikachu! PikaPi!"._

"_Hey there Pikachu!" Both Ash and May greeted the little rodent._

_Pikachu looked concerned at May, like if he could read Ash's thoughts._

"_I think I should carry you to your house so you can rest your leg there." Ash told May."Then we should head home Pikachu." Ash said._

"_Oh, no need to do that. I can walk there by myself!" May stated happily._

_She released herself from Ash's grip and jumped to the ground. Ash was dumbfound._

"_But... How... When... Why...?" Ash began to strutter._

"_Don't worry about that Ash!" May said giggling._

_Then suddenly she leaned in on him and kissed him quick on the lips. Ash turned into a deep shade of red that Pikachu never had seen before._

"_Bye Pikachu, bye Ash and thanks for carrying me!" May yelled as she RAN to her house._

"_Pikachu!" The little rodent yelled back and waved with its little paw._

"_Bye May, and thank you too." Ash said silently as he stood there and had his right hand on his lips._

_Pikachu looked worried at his trainer and began charging up a Thundershock, to zap his trainer back to reality. Ash however, noticed that and quickly said. "I'm fine Pikachu, come on. Let's go home."_

_And they walked towards the ferry._

_End of flashback_

* * *

"That was the last time I saw her." Ash muttered. "Then THAT happened." Ash said and were referring to the event that not many know about. Pikachu, who understood what he meant, decided to remain silent. It was painful for both of them to talk and think about that memory, even after all these years.

Charizard gave a great roar as he began to dive towards the glade in the middle of the forest.

Ash felt Pikachu's grip tightened around his shoulder as they dived down in a incredible speed.

"OK Charizard, that's enough, slow down now." Ash said, but nothing happened. "I said slow down!" Ash yelled at Charizard.

Charizard just grunted something that Ash translated as `kill-joy´ and Charizard began to slow down and going down for landing.

* * *

Scott couldn't believe that this was the same person that had conquered his Battle Frontier in Kanto all those years ago. Ash's hood had flew of him when he was in the air, so you could see his hardened face and determined yet golden brown and kind eyes. But those eyes that used to show such warmth and comfort had been replaced with suspicion against all and everything.

"It's good to see you again Scott." Ash said as he jumped of Charizard. Scott got startled by his deep voice. He was somehow expecting that young and childish voice that Ash used to have. But this voice was deep and demanding.

Scott pulled himself together and said. "Yes long time no seen Ash, it's nice to see you too Charizard and Pikachu."

Charizard gave a short nod and Pikachu responded with a happy "Pika!".

"I can understand that you have some questions Ash." Scott said.

"Yes, I have."

"Well, what is it?"

"Was it you who recommended me to the Top Battle Competition?" Ash asked.

"Yes, it was." Scott replied with his cool voice.

"May I ask why?" Ash asked with a slightly annoyance in his voice.

"You see Ash, I still remember when you were 12 years old and conquered my Battle Frontier. And I knew that you wouldn't want to miss this challenge, and I had right considering that you're here." Scott said with a little pride.

"But why me?" Ash asked. "There are tons of trainers that had conquered your Battle Frontier. Why would you want me?"

"I nominated you because none of the other trainers had your skill." Scott answered.

Ash snorted. "My `skill´ didn't help me so much in the Sinnoh league if you remember!"

"I remember it alright, that kinda suck didn't it?" Scott said.

"You think?" Ash asked with sarcasm in his voice.

* * *

_Flashback_

_It was the first battle in the preliminary rounds, Ash stood at one side if the field and faced a purple haired trainer._

"_This is the first battle in the preliminary rounds, it's a three on three battle between Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town and Paul Slaid from Veilstone City. The battle with end when all the pokemon of one challenger are unable to battle! Ash Ketchum, send out your first pokemon!" The referee declared._

"_Okay, here it goes. I choose you Monferno!" Ash yelled as he called out the pokemon._

"_A pathetic pokemon for a pathetic trainer." Paul said in his normal emotionless tone. "Ursaring, standby for battle!" The large bear pokemon came out and gave a mighty roar, which caused Monferno to take one step back._

"_Begin the match!"_

"_Monferno Mach Punch!" Ash yelled. _

"_Hammer Arm." Paul ordered._

_The two attacks collided with each other, but due to Ursarings big body mass it forced Monferno away._

"_Don't give in Monferno, FlameWheel!"_

"_Dodge it! And then follow up with Slash."_

"_Oh no! Monferno quick dodge!" Ash yelled._

_But it was to late. After that FlameWheel had missed and Torterras right paw started to glow with a white light and then smash into Monferno._

"_Monferno! No!" Ash screamed as Monferno got hit to the ground. "Come on Monferno, get up, I know you can do it!"_

_Monferno slowly started to rise, but then._

"_Ursaring, finish it of with Hyper Beam."_

_The last thing Monferno saw before he passed out was a big bright light._

"_Monferno is unable to battle. Ursaring is the winner!" The referee said._

"_You did great Monferno," Ash said as he called back his pokemon. "now take a good rest."_

"_Buizel, I choose you!" Ash yelled as the threw Buizels pokeball into the air._

"_This is a battle between Buizel and Ursaring! Begin!" The referee yelled._

"_Buizel, Aqua Jet!" Ash called out as the weasel pokemon started to surround himself with water and send himself flying straight to Ursaring._

"_Ursaring, use Bulk Up and then take the attack head on." Paul ordered his pokemon._

_Ursaring did as he was told and raised his attack and defense before taking the attack head on._

"_Buizel use WaterGun!" Ash called out. Buizel shot a jet of water straight to Ursaring._

"_Use Bulk Up again and take it head on." Paul called out to his pokemon._

_The same thing happened._

"_Ursaring, Focus Blast!" Paul said in a loud voice._

"_Oh no you don't, Buizel charge at him with Aqua Jet!" Ash called out._

_Buizel began charging Torterra inside his jet of water._

_Ursaring unleashed his attack on Buizel and Buizel got hit with such a power that he flew back straight into the wall and was knocked out._

"_Buizel is unable to battle, Ursaring is the winner!"_

"_But... But how??" Ash said to nobody special._

"_You seem to have forgotten that Ursaring used Bulk Up twice and your pathetic little weasel couldn't stand a chance against Ursarings attack power. But that would be expected by such a weak trainer!" Paul yelled over the field._

"_Buizel, return. You did great." Ash said slowly._

"_I'll show you weak!" Ash growled. "Pikachu, you're up next!"_

"_Pika!" Pikachu said as he jumped out to the field and faced Paul's Ursaring._

"_This is a battle between Pikachu and Ursaring, begin!"_

"_Let's finish this quick, Ursaring Hyper Beam!" Paul commanded._

"_Dodge it Pikachu! And the use Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled to his faithful pokemon._

_Ursaring unleashed his Hyper Beam but Pikachu was able to dodge it and sent a Thunderbolt straight to him. Ursaring, that was both wet from Buizels WaterGun and couldn't move from that Hyper Beam, couldn't do anything than take the attack. And due to the water on its body the Thunderbolt were increased, which caused to:_

"_Ursaring is unable to battle, Pikachu is the winner!"_

"_Alright Pikachu!" Ash yelled._

"_Pathetic pokemon, return! I'll deal with you later. Now, Torterra stand by for battle!" Paul said._

"_The battle is between Pikachu and Torterra," the referee said. "begin!"_

"_This is bad," Said Brock Stone, one of Ash's closest friends, to a blunette named Dawn Berlitz. They were sitting on the sideline and cheering Ash on. "Ash only got Pikachu left against Torterra and one more of Paul's pokemon! He's going to find out a miracle to get through this."_

"_Pikachu, Let's begin this with Iron Tail!" Ash ordered. _

_Pikachu started charge forward with its tail glowing bright white. He jumped up in the air and were going to strike Torterra, but then._

"_Torterra, use Frenzy Plant." Paul said quick._

_Four Great roots were heading direct towards Pikachu._

"_Oh no! Pikachu dodge them!" Ash yelled, but it was too late._

_The roots had trapped Pikachu under them and whatever he tried he couldn't move. Pikachu cried out in pain as the roots pushed him down to the ground.  
_

"_Stop it!" Ash yelled to Paul._

"_Why should I?" Paul answered with a smirk._

_Ash couldn't see his best friend suffer. "I forfeit the match!" Ash yelled to the referee._

_The referee nodded and said "Ash Ketchum forfeits the match, the winner is Paul Slaid from Veilstone City!"_

_Paul just looked at Ash and said "Pathetic." And then he walked away after recalling his Torterra._

_Ash ran to Pikachu and picked him up. "I'm so sorry Pikachu, it's all my fault!" Pikachu just gave a weak "Pikachu pika."_

_Ash started to walk away with Pikachu towards the pokemon center._

"_Ash!" Yelled Dawn and made an attempt to run after him. But Brock stopped her. "Don't run after him. He needs to be alone." He said. She gave him a confused look but did as he said._

_Flashback ended_

* * *

"Now," Ash said. "tell me: Why me?"

"Answer my question first, have trained meanwhile you were gone?" Scott asked.

"Every day." Ash replied.

"Have you and your pokemon gotten stronger after that day?" Scott asked with a little smile on his face.

"Of course we have!" Ash said angry, he didn't like when people questioned his pokemon strength.

"Then I believe you!" Scott said. "That's why I nominated you!"

"You nominated me because I went away for four years and trained?" Ash asked sheepishly.

"That and what you did under those four years." Scott said.

"How did you.... " Ash started but got interrupted.

"I'm one of the few who knows that." Scott said. "And I gotta say that it was very impressive."

"Thanks, I guess." Ash said embarrassed while rubbing the back of his head.

Scott liked to see that some of the old Ash still was there.

"But can you tell me why you went away. Nobody seems to know why and your friends were out looking for you for weeks after you disappeared." Scott asked with a curious face.

"You don't know?" Ash asked, he was really surprised by that information.

"Nobody does." Scott replied.

"Yes, a few do... I will tell you, but then the words will never leave your mouth. Is that clear?" Ash asked with a hint of anger in his voice.

"Loud and clear." Scott said.

Ash then began to tell him why he left, and when he came to the end of the story, a very surprised Scott stood there.

"Man, I never thought that it was such a thing!" Scott said, still stunned about the story.

"That's what happened, but remember. Do. Not. Tell. Anyone." Ash said with a threatening voice.

"You doesn't have to worry, I won't say a thing." Scott replied calmly, Ash knew that he could trust him.

There was a silence between them. Scott looked like he was going to say something but Ash interrupted him and asked.

"How are May, Max, Brock and the others doing? Do they know that you're here?"

Scott smiled before he said "They don't know that I'm here, they believe you're dead. I've not only talked to just Max, May and Brock. I've also talked to Dawn Berlitz, Tracey Sketich, Gary Oak and Misty Waterflower."

"How are they?" Ash asked.

"Why are you so curious?" Scott asked with an amused tone.

"I want to know if they are safe without me." Ash said silently.

"They are safe, Max's a trainer now he even tried to challenge my Battle Frontier, it didn't go so well for him though. Brock's still a breeder, I heard that he's traveling with Max, May and miss Berlitz. Gary is still a professor, he got an invite to the Top Battle Competition, but he wasn't interested. Tracey is still working at professor Oaks house. Oak says that he reminds him about himself in the young days." Scott added with a slight laugh.

"What about Dawn and May?" Ash asked, he wanted to be as much informed as possible.

"Miss Maple and miss Berlitz is still going on with their contests, but they took a break from them when you disappeared." Scott added.

"I see." Ash said, he didn't like that May and Dawn would take a pause from their contests just to be looking for him, but he would probably had done the same thing if he were in their clothes.

"Haven't you forgotten someone?" Scott asked with a slightly humored tone.

"I still think that Misty's a gym leader." Ash answered. "But how's she doing?"

"She's doing good, I heard that they should invite her to join the top 3 strongest gym leaders in Kanto."

"That's good, she deserves it." Ash said.

"I have a question for you Ash Ketchum." Scott said, trying to sound important. But with his voice and look he failed big time.

"And what does that might be?" Ash asked.

"Are you or are you not gonna sign up for the TBC (Top Battle Competition)?" Scott asked.

Ash turned to Pikachu and Charizard. "What do you say guys? You think we're up for the challenge?" Pikachu let out a high cheering sound and pounded with his paw in the air and Charizard let out a loud roar in agreement.

"I think we're up to the challenge." Ash grinned and said to Scott.

"That's good to hear, I'm gonna sign you up to the TBC. I'm gonna give you the information you need later." Then Scott added. "Where are you gonna stay? I need to know how to contact you."

Ash looked at him and said. "Dial the number to prof. Samuel Oak and you will find me."

Scot nodded and walked away towards the closest town.

"Well Pikachu," Ash said to his faithful rodent. "looks like we're going back to Pallet Town!"

**End of chapter!**

* * *

**Well what do you think?**

**R&R**

**I also tried to change how the text was placed. Do you prefer it like this or was chapter one better?**

**Don't worry, I haven't forgot to mention why Ash left, I just want to drag it out a little bit more ;)**

**I hope you liked it. And as I said before, I will just update when I have the time to do it.  
**

**I also feels a little uncomfortable by writing TBC as a short for Top Battle Competition, because here's TBC short for a lung disease. (and I know that Top Battle Competition sounds stupid, but I couldn't get up with any other ideas for that moment and it's to late to change now, so I'm sticking to it!**

**I'll see you in the next chapter!  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**  
Third chapter up. I can't decide if I should make them longer and update lesser or keep them this short and update often.**

**  
I do not own pokemon or anything like that!(do you really need to say that?)**

**  
Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Ash Ketchum had walked for several hours with a high speed. He had walked out on the Viridian Forest south side and followed Route 2, he walked around Viridian City instead of straight through it. He wasn't comfortable to walk in a big mass of humans after all his years in loneliness. He continued to walk on Route 1 until a little boy came up. He looked like he was around 10 years old.

"Are you a trainer?" The little boy asked Ash.

"Sort of, why do you ask?" Ash said.

"If you're a trainer then we'll battle!" The boy said, his cockiness reminded Ash of himself when he was around that age, he couldn't help but chuckle slightly at the boy.

The boy seemed offended and though that Ash was laughing at him and making a fool out of him.

"I'm challenging you and your puny looking Pikachu!" The boy yelled in a high voice.

Ash suddenly stopped laugh. "What did you call Pi?" he asked, he looked like he was going to throw the boy over to the Sinnoh Region. Pikachu just glared at the boy.

"My name's Rick and I'm challenging you to a battle!" The boy repeated. "And I called your Pikachu weak!"

"I don't give a shit about your name, but I hope that your battling skill is a big as your mouth. Because nobody calls my pokemon weak and gets away with it!" Ash said in a normal tone, but if a look from your eyes could kill Rick would be dead long ago.

"We'll see about that, Go Squirtle!" Rick yelled as he threw his pokeball in the air.

Out from it came a little blue turtle-like pokemon.

"Is that all you have?" Ash asked puzzled. "How long have you had him?"

"About two days, why do you wonder?" Rick asked slightly surprised by the sudden question.

"Well, you are about to challenge a electric pokemon that I've trained for seven years." Ash said while sweat dropping.

Rick seemed to hesitate, but then he continued. "Power and type isn't all!"

"That's right, it also includes experience, and I've been a trainer for seven years and you for two days. Who do you think has the most experience?" Ash asked annoying, "_Was I really that dense when I was around that age?"_ He thought.

"Less talk more battle! Squirtle Tackle!" Rick shouted.

Squirtle began charging towards Pikachu.

"Pikachu, counter with a weak Quick Attack." Ash said calmly.

Pikachu did has he was told and began to charge towards Squirtle and Squirtle, who was a very inexperienced pokemon, got afraid by the sight of another pokemon was going to attack him. So Squirtle started to run back to her trainer and hide.

"Well, it looks like Squirtle has left the battle field. I win." Ash stated. "Good job Pikachu." He said as he petted his little companion.

Rick sighed and returned his Squirtle. "Well, at least you tried Squirtle, return."

Ash then walked up to Rick and offered him a hand. Rick looked at him puzzled so Ash started.

"The most important thing is that you tried. And I also think that you should learn not to judge the pokemon by its look." Rick nodded at that. "Good," Ash said. "the next time we meet I would bet that you will out up a much bigger challenge."

At those word the little boys eyes lit up. "You bet!" He said. "And you better watch out! Because I'm going to be the greatest pokemon master the world has ever seen!" And with those words he sprinted of.

"Was I really like that when I was around his age?" Ash asked his Pikachu.

"Pikachu, pika pikachu!" The yellow rodent replied.

"Then why didn't you stop me?" Ash asked slightly hurt at Pikachus last comment.

"Pikachu" It said simply.

"Aha, so you found it amusing to see me make a fool out of myself?" Ash asked.

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

Ash was about to continue when he saw the first houses of Pallet.

"_I'm home"_ He thought.

* * *

As he walked down the road heading to professor Oaks laboratory he couldn't help but notice that so many people were staring at him. But to come to think of it, it wasn't that strange. Pallet citizens weren't used so much with strangers, because Pallet Town is a dead-end, there's not many travelers passing by here. He also thought that they must stare because he still wore his black cape and had his hood over his head.

He ignored everything and just headed straight to prof. Oaks laboratory.

When he finally arrived at the large building he thought for a few seconds. Then he let out all of his pokemon, almost. He held his newest used pokeball in his hand and thought about it for a moment, then he shook his head and attached it to his waist next to Pikachus ball.

His pokemon seemed to enjoy stretching their legs. They all looked at their master.

"We're going to stay here for a while, I hope you understand that when I join the TBC I can only have six pokemon with me, so the rest of you got to stay here." Ash said as his pokemon nodded in approval. "I haven't decided yet who to bring with me except Pikachu, but for as long as we're here you can stretch your legs and rest!"

His pokemon gave out a roar and headed to different directions.

His Floatzel, Blastoise, Crawdaunt, Kingler and Feraligatr headed over to a small pond.

His grass types went over to the sunny grass field to rest with Heracross right after them. His bird pokemon flew to the little group of trees in the middle of the field and the rest of his pokemon went to do their own business.

Ash, with Pikachu on his shoulder, walked up to the house. Then he turned around and saw that Muk was still after him.

"Didn't you listen to what I said?" Ash asked the sludge pokemon, Muk just did his way of nodding.

"So I take it that you want to meet the professor?" Ash asked with a small smile at the thought.

Muk agreed happily.

"OK then, let's go!"

They were in front of Samuel Oaks laboratory door as Ash knocked on the door.

They heard a old voice calling. "I'm coming! Hold on a second!"

"Are you guys ready?" Ash asked. His pokemon nodded. "How do you think he'll meet us?"

But his pokemon didn't have time to answered, the door opened and you could see a man with a long white lab coat and a rather wrinkled face. You could see that his hair was getting more and more gray.

"What can I do for you mister?" Oak asked polity, but Ash hadn't got time to answer before you could see a smelly grayish sludge ball slung his way forward on the professor with a happy "Muk!!"

The professor was taken back by this first, but then he started to laugh and said.

"Oh my, what a friendly pokemon!" He then got up from the floor. "But what can I do for you? Mister....."

"Ketchum, Ash Ketchum." Ash replied calmly.

Professor Oak turned pale at those words, he then looked at the Pikachu which was sitting on the young mans shoulder and then back a the Muk.

"Ash... You're back." Professor Oak said.

"Looks like it." Ash said as a matter of factly.

But Ash couldn't say anymore before the professor walked up to him and hugged him.

"Welcome home Ash!" Professor Oak said in a glad but tired tone. He was getting old.

A few minutes after the little reunion of Ash and Samuel Oak they sat at the couches in the professors living room.

"So Ash, where have you been all the time?" Oak asked Ash.

"I've been around Kanto, but you're the third person I've talked to for over four years." Ash said.

"Third? Who else have you talked to?"

"Scott, the owner of the Battle Frontier and a trainer named Rick, he challenged me to a battle, he shouldn't have done that." Ash added silently.

"Was it Scott who contacted you?" Professor Oak asked and ignored the Ash's last sentence

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"I figured it out that he would try to find you after you had gone missing, he asked practically everyone you knew and asked them if they knew anything about where you might have been."

Ash nodded at that. "Where's Tracey? I thought that he worked here."

"He does, but now he's in Hoenn." the professor answered.

"Hoenn? What does he do there?"

"He has gotten an invite from Max Maple, Max is going to participate in the TBC tournament."

"I didn't know that he knew Max that good." Ash said, wondering what else he's been missing out.

"Oh, everybody that you have traveled with started to spend more and more time with each other since they stopped looking for you. May, Dawn, Misty, Brock, Tracey and even Gary is going to cheer Max on in the tournament." Professor Oak explained.

"I see." Ash said. "So everybody is going to be at the tournament?"

"Indeed they will. And I take for granted that you'll go too."

"Yes, but how did you know?"

"I knew that you couldn't resist such a big competition." Oak replied with a smirk.

"But now's the question. What can I do for you?" Oak asked.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked slightly confused.

"I barley think that you were just going through Pallet and decided to visit me."

"Yeah, you're right. I just wonder if you can take care of the pokemon that I can't take with me?"

"Of course I can Ash!"

"Can I also stay here for a couple of days to make me prepared for the tournament?"

"Absolutely, it'll be fun to catch up with you Ash. But when I think about it. How are you dealing with your mothers, you know?" Oak asked slightly worried.

Ash started to think back at that time again.

* * *

_Flashback_

_The young boy was returning home after his crushing defeat in the Sinnoh league, he walks up to his house with Pikachu on his shoulder. Everybody had gone home to themselves, Dawn to Twinleaf and Brock to Pewter City._

"_Mom I'm home!" Ash called._

"_Welcome back honey! I'm so sorry for your lost, how are you feeling?"_

"_A little disappointed, but that's not a big deal. What's for dinner?"_

_Delia Ketchum watched her son with a slight of pride. "_He's growing up so quick!_" She thought._

_When Ash was done with the food he headed up to his room._

"_Ash!" His mother called._

"_Yeah mom?"_

"_Did you remember to change your underwear?"_

"_MOM!" Ash yelled from his room, "I'm 13 years old. I think I can handle that!"_

"_Of course you can deer, you're a big boy!"_

_Ash muttered something about overprotective mothers as he went to sleep._

* * *

_The next day Ash woke up and headed down for breakfast. _

"_Good morning sweety!" Delia said to her son. "What are you gonna do today?"_

"_I dunno," Ash answered. "Maybe train a little with Pikachu and rest."_

"_And call May?" Delia asked with an innocent voice._

_Ash, who was that moment eating a pancake almost choked on it and blushed. "What!? Mom, I'm not gonna discuss those kind of things with you!"_

"_Okay honey, if you don't want to then it's okay with me. I'm going out for a walk, come Mimey!"_

_The clown-looking pokemon followed after its mistress._

_Five minutes later Ash started to feed Pikachu with the rest of the pancakes, which he gratefully accepted. Ash had left all of his pokemon except Pikachu at the Oak ranch._

_Then suddenly a high scream came through the windows. Ash looked up and said._

"_Come on Pikachu, let's find out what's happening."_

_And they ran though the door._

_The next thing the face was a woman __with__ a blue skirt and brown hair, she was down__ on her knees, on her right side it laid a clown-looking pokemon. Over them stood three men and two women everyone of them dressed in black clothes with a purple R on the chest._

"_Foolish woman, you'll pay for going against Team Rocket, look what you've done!" He said that and pointed at Mr. Mime at the same time. "We only wanted your pokemon and now he's dead!"_

_Delia stood up and faced the rocket, showing no sign of fear. Ash on the other hand stood frozen in fear. Villains had threaten his friends and his pokemon, but never his own mother!_

"_You think I'm afraid of you?" Delia almost screamed in the rockets face. "You think you are something just because you kill and steals from innocent people!?"_

_Delia looked like she was about to explode._

"_You are nothing but a bunch of cowa....." Delia was cut short when she noticed a sharp pain in her stomach. She looked down and spotted a knife, but it was so deep in that you could only see the handle._

"_I said you were going to pay." the grunt said as he and the other Rockets started to run away._

_Pikachus and Ash's frozen state had let go as they ran up to his mother._

"_Mum!" Ash said. "Pikachu go and get professor Oak!" He yelled at the rodent which nodded and spurted of to the ranch._

"_Ash.... " His mother said weakly. "Don't be afraid, I'll always be with you. It's just that you doesn't have to see me."_

"_Don't talk like that mum! You're going to be fine." Ash said as tears were running down his eyes._

"_Ash, what have I told you about lying?" Delia replied with a weak smile._

_Ash could hear shouts far away heading straight towards him._

"_Just hold out mom, help is coming!"_

"_It's to late Ash, sweety, remember three things." Delia said as she started to cough._

"_The first is that this wasn't your fault." Delia said._

"_The second is that I'll always will love you wherever I am." She said. Ash could feel the tears pouring down his face._

"_And the third thing is that you remember to change you underwear." Delia said with a weak smile._

"_Bye honey, make mommy proud."_

"_Mom? Mom?? Mom!??!" Ash called out. But he never got any response. Ash felt a hand on his shoulder. When he looked up he saw a very tearful professor Oak._

"_Come Ash, there's nothing we can do here anymore."_

_Ash nodded as they headed walked away, away from the dead body of his mother and her faithful pokemon._

* * *

_A week later_

_The church bells were ringing loudly as a black coffin got carried out on the cemetery, four men were carrying the coffin with Delia Ketchum in it._

_The men were all dressed in black suits, there were no sign of happiness or cheerfulness on their faces. The only thing that could be spotted were great sorrow and depression._

_The man on the back side of the right had a mix of gray and brown hair, he looked down at the ground as he continued to carry the coffin. The mans name was Samuel Oak._

_The man on the back side of the left had light brown hair, he as Samuel Oak, also looked down to the ground. He was one of Delia's closest friends. His name was Spencer Hale. Tears still continued to roll down his face as he carried the coffin to the whole._

_In the front were two boys, both around the age of 13. the one to the left had brown hair and black eyes. The pokemon researchers name was Gary Oak, his eyes were full of tears. But he refused to look down as he continued lead the way to the open grave._

_The boy to the left looked as he belonged at the cemetery, his eyes showed no emotions at all. But you could see that he had been crying probably the whole night. On the left on his shoulder a little yellow mouse sat, equally sad as its trainer. The boys name was Ash Ketchum, son of Delia Ketchum._

_There were many people that walked after the coffin as it were carried. Delia was were known and loved in Pallet Town._

_As the coffin got lower and lower into the ground the priest stood there and talked about how goodhearted and happy Delia Ketchum had been in her life. But Ash blocked the word, he just stood there and stared as the coffin sank lower and lower to the ground._

_After the grave was filled and the priest was done people came to Ash and said that they were sorry for his lost. Ash barley listened, he just nodded. Ash's thoughts were not focused on those people, they were focused on the person who recently had been buried._

_Both Brock and Misty had given him a hug and so did their families. _

_Two other persons came up and hugged him, when he looked up he could see a man with navy blue hair and eyes, and besides him a woman with brown hair and blue eyes._

"_We are really sorry for your lost Ash," Norman said to the boy. "she didn't deserve this." _

_Ash just nodded slightly._

"_We are sorry that May and Max couldn't be here, but we couldn't reach them. They and Dawn Berlitz are out on their journeys." Caroline, the mother of Max and May said to Ash._

_It was true, Johanna, a woman with blue hair and eyes had come and told Ash that she hadn't been able to reach Dawn. Ash understood that._

"_You mind telling us how she died?" Norman asked Ash, interrupted him from his thougths._

"_Team Rocket," Ash said with a tone without emotions. "they killed my mother and her Mr. Mime when she tried to stop them." Ash could feel the tears building up again in his eyes so he just turned away and walked towards his house, he looked a last time on the grave and lowered his head until he continued to walk._

_End of flashback_

* * *

Oak dried his eyes from tears at the memory of Delia's death. He then looked at Ash, who not tried to show it, but his eyes were full of pain.

"She was a good woman," professor Oak said to Ash. "she had a great life. If she saw you now I know that she would be proud of you!" Samuel Oak said as he tried to comfort Ash.

"Maybe, maybe not. I hope that she's proud of me, but I'll never know." Ash said as he tried to change the subject. "So my old traveling companions has gotten really close? That's good to hear."

"Yes," professor Oak said. "Their families started spending more and more time together after you had disappeared, so it was bound that they would be close."

"But they doesn't know Tracey's family, so how became he so close with the others? Sure, he has traveled with me and Misty, but he had only met the others during a short notice." Ash said a little confused.

"Well, let's say that it was bound to happened that to." Oak said with a little smile. Ash continued to look confused.

"If I say it like this, if Gary is around Misty Tracey isn't far from them. And it's the same with Gary." Samuel Oak added with a slight laughter.

Ash continued to look confused for a few second, until he figured it out. "Ooh, so who's dating Misty of them?" Ash asked with a grin.

"None of them, they're to busy trying to get the other to never be alone with her, neither of them had has time to confess to her!" Oak said with a laughter. Ash also joined in, same with Pikachu.

Ash felt that it was good to laugh, he hadn't done that in a while.

"I can't wait to call them and say that you've returned, I can't wait to see the look on their faces!" Samuel Oak said with a laugh.

"No!" Ash said hastily, "They can't know that I've returned, not now."

"But if you're going to compete in the tournament they'll find out that you're alive sooner or later!"

"That's one of the reasons I'm here for, I was wondering if I could compete with a different name?"

"That isn't like you Ash." professor Oak said.

"What isn't like me?" Ash asked.

"To run away and hide from things."

"I'm not hiding or running away!" Ash said with a loud voice.

"If you say so, but even if I would've wanted to I can't do that. The rules of the TBC tournament are very strict." Oak said. "So even if you're scared for your past you still have to compete with your real name."

"You're calling me scared?" Ash asked with a annoying tone.

"Scared to face your emotional self, yes. Scared to battle anyone or anything, no." professor Oak said. "I've heard what you've done, and a scared man cannot achieve that. But how many times did you have to go though a emotional battle?"

Ash sat silent until he said. "Not many times, only in the beginning." Oak nodded at that.

"I know that you're brave, but you can't keep move your meeting with them, you'll have to face them soon. Tell me Ash, what are you most afraid of should happened when you meet them?" Oak asked the trainer.

"Hurt." Ash said silent.

"You're afraid that they won't accept you and hurt you?" Oak asked confused.

"No, not me. That they'll get hurt to see that I'm alive." Ash said, he shut his eyes when he said that.

"I don't understand Ash, why would they be sad to see you alive?" Oak asked confused.

"You don't understand." Ash just said.

Then suddenly Oak understood what he meant. "Ah, you mean that a special person maybe will not be so happy to see you?" Ash just looked at the professor, then he just nodded his head.

"But I don't think that's just that." Oak continued, "I also think that you doesn't want them to see you because you think that they might have forgotten you."

Ash looked at the professor, "You don't have to worry Ash, they hasn't forgotten you. They all looked up to you and loved you." Then he added cleverly, "Some of the girls more than others." and gave Ash a little wink. Even after all those years Ash still couldn't help blushing. And Pikachu was quick to start teasing its master.

"Who knows professor....," Ash said. "who knows...."

* * *

Ash stayed at Oaks ranch for a few days, of course calls came from both Tracey and Gary but Samuel Oak never told them that he was here.

Then one day Oak received a call from a chubby man with a blue Hawaii-shirt, Oak recognized the man as Scott.

"Hello Scott." Oak greeted him. "That was a long time since we last spoke."

"Indeed it was," Scott replied him. "but I'm in a little hurry so I don't have to much time. Can I talk to Ash?"

"Of course you can, I will go and get him."

A minute later Ash arrived at the phone.

"Hello Scott, whats up?" Ash asked.

"Not much, I'm just called to tell you some info about the TBC tournament."

"I'm listening." Ash said.

Scott started. "I can't tell you how many matches you'll be able to fight in, because nobody knows how many trainers that have been nominated and signed up for the tournament.

But it's only normal elimination match in the beginning, three on three matches.

But when it's 64 trainers left they start with the real battles, it's still three on three in until it's only 16 left. But at those battles when it's 64 trainers left they will be allowing audience and broadcast I live to all the regions. When it's 16 trainers left there will be a full six on six pokemon battle.

They calls the battles in the beginning for the preliminary rounds, the battles when it's 64 to 16 left is called the elimination rounds and then it comes to top 8 semifinals and finals.

Any questions?" Scott then added.

"Yeah, when does it start? Where is it going to be held? Is the battles arrange somehow?" Ash asked eagerly, you could almost see the 12 year old in him again.

"Easy now, It's going to be held at a island called Boon Island, ever heard of it?" Scott asked.

"Yeah, I've heard of it. Isn't that the island that was such a popular semester vacation place?"

"It used to be, now there's just battle arenas and fields all over the place." Scott said. "The battles you're going to battle will be arrange so you can't face one trainer of you own region in the preliminary rounds. But when it comes to the elimination rounds you can battle any person who's still in it." Scott said. "Do you have some transportation to get to the island or are you gonna take the boat?"

"I think I will take me there by myself." Ash said, he didn't like the thought of possibles reunions, not so soon.

"Okay then. Then I can just wish you good luck, remember that you can only bring six pokemon with you, but you can switch them as often as you like." Scott said and ended the phone call.

"Bye Scott, cya." Ash said as he walked away from the phone to professor Oak.

"Damn it!" Ash said. "I forgot to ask when it begins!"

"Don't worry, it begins in a week, but I suggest that you'll leave tomorrow to settle down at the island and start training." Professor Oak said calmly.

"What pokemon are you gonna use?" He then asked the young trainer.

"I don't know exactly, Pikachu is going to come with me also my latest pokemon. But the rest of my empty slots, I don't know." Ash said thoughtfully.

"What is your last pokemon anyway?" Professor Oak asked. "You haven't let it out since you came here."

"Well... I guess I can show you," Ash said as he reached for his belt. "come out an say hi!"

He then through the pokeball into the air that opened with a bright white light, Oak gasped as he saw what stood infront of them.

"No, it can't be." Oak said silently.

**End of chapter 3.**

* * *

**I need a little help now, I have only a little idea at what might be standing there, and no it's not going to be Mew, Mewtwo, Lugia, Ho Oh, I don't think that they should be able to get caught.**

**You can also give me some tips on what pokemon Ash is going to bring with him to the tournament, remember that he need to have a big flying or water pokemon so he can take himself to the island, you can just say four pokemon, his other two is Pikachu and the mysterious pokemon.**

**You can also give me some name of competitors that Ash will battle, also give them three pokemon (no legendary, and remember that beginner trainers also can join the tournament, you'll also need to describe little how the trainer looks like.)**

**I'll see you in the next chapter!**

**Reviews are welcome!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello again!**

**4 chapters in 3 days, I'm a little proud of myself now!**

**But after this the chapters won't come so often. My holiday is over now :(**

**A funny thing has happened, I've got really many mails that said that different people had added this story to alert and favorites. But I only got 4 reviews!  
It would be nice if you could review, because this is my first story and I want to know what I do good and what I can improve.**

**I don't own pokemon!  
**

* * *

Professor Oak rubbed his eyes as it was like he tried to remove the image of it.

"Impressive, isn't he?" Asked Ash.

* * *

_Flashback_

_A 16 year old boy walked through the deep forests of Kanto. Suddenly, he could feel something strange, something that he hadn't felt in years. He didn't recognize it._

"_You sense something Pi?" Ash asked his faithful companion._

"_Pi?" Pikachu asked confused._

"_Something doesn't feel right, keep you eyes open." Ash said. Pikachu nodded and started look around._

"_Pika!" Pikachu told its master with a low tone and pointed over to some bushes._

"_Are you sure?" Ash asked the yellow rodent. Pikachu nodded, he knew that something was there, and it was spying on them._

"_OK Pikachu." Ash said in a low tone. Suddenly he roared, "Use ThunderBolt!"_

_Pikachu shoot away a yellow lightning bolt with incredible speed towards the bushes, but suddenly it was blocked by an blue sphere._

"_Was that Aura Sphere?" A confused Ash asked his equally confused partner._

_Out of the bushes jumped a Rilou, Ash's brain started to work. "_Rilou, Aura Sphere, that weird feeling, no.... It can't be..." _He thought._

"_Are you the same Rilou that I helped from Hunter J?" Ash asked the little blue pokemon._

_The blue pokemon answered with a happy "Lou!" and jumped up to Ash and hugged him._

"_It is you!" Ash stated happily and hugged the little blue pokemon, Pikachu also started to pet it on the head with his paw._

"_But what are you doing here. Where are your master?" Ash asked Rilou._

_Rilou had an sad look on his eyes and looked down to the ground. Ash suddenly remembered how old the man had been the time he saw him, and that was many years ago._

"_Is he gone?" Ash asked Rilou slowly. Rilou just nodded and felt tears drop from his face._

"_Then we're sitting in the same boat." Ash said silently, Rilou looked up. "I lost my mother a few years ago, she got murdered by a criminal gang." Ash could also feel the tears fall down his face._

"_The only thing that I have left is my pokemon." Ash continued. "Do you want to join us?" He then asked the little pokemon._

_Rilou just nodded and jumped up and hugged Ash once again and started crying again in his shirt. Ash slowly rubbed the pokemon along its back. "Alright, I got a Rilou." Ash said with a silent and comforting tone. "Pi PikaPi." Pikachu piped in with a little smile._

_Ash took up one of his pokeballs and let Rilou touch the little white button in the middle of it. Then when the ball had stopped shaking he summoned Rilou._

"_Are you ready to start with our journey Rilou?" Ash asked the little pokemon._

"Yes... master"_ Ash heard in his head._

"_Was that you?" Ash asked the little pokemon, still chocked. Rilou nodded happily._

"_But... how?" Ash asked._

"We have the same auras, master. That will makes us able to communicate with each other with our minds._" The little blue pokemon said in Ash's head._

_Ash decided to try it and thought "_Can you hear me now Rilou?_"_

"Loud and clear master!" _Rilou said._

"_That's good," Ash then said loud. "But don't call me master." He then added, Pikachu just looked confused._

"OK, master._"_ _Rilou said happily. Ash just sighed and returned Rilou._

"_Looks like we got a new member in our team Pi." Ash said to his Pikachu._

"_Pikaaa." It said in a amused tone._

* * *

_End of flashback._

But it wasn't a Rilou that stood in front of professor Oak, the pokemon had black forepaws with one spike on each arm on the upper-side of the wrist, there was a third spike on its chest. Its snout and ears were also longer than a Rilous. The pokemon also had a furry yellow torso, it had like a black mask over its face, the rest of its body were blue.

"Professor, let me introduce you to Lucario!" Ash stated happily.

"I can't believe that it's the same Rilou that I've heard of, the same Lucario that could use Aura Sphere as a Rilou!" Professor Oak said. "Do you realize that this Lucario have to be the strongest of his kind?"

"Yes, I do." Ash said.

"_Thank you master."_ Lucario said through his aura.

"_No problem Lucario, I said it because it's true. And stop call me master!" _Ash answered with a slightly annoyed tone.

"I think you've to make you ready to leave tomorrow." Oak said to Ash, a little confused that Ash and his Lucario just stared at each other.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Ash said. "Lucario, you can go out and play with the other pokemon."

"_Okay master, just call me when you need me."_ and with those word Lucario walked out.

"So Ash, what are you gonna do first?" Oak asked the young boy.

"I don't have to much to pack, so I think I'll go and look at my house." Ash said.

Professor Oaks face darkened, "I thought you knew." He said.

"Knew what?" Ash asked started to get worried. "I haven't been in Pallet for years."

"Ash, I'm sorry. But a year after you had left the lightning struck down in your house, it burnt to the ground. We managed to save almost all of your belongings, but the house was burnt down." Oak said with sadness in his voice.

Ash looked down at the ground, then he looked up to professor Oak and said. "I still think I'm going to go there."

"As you wish my boy. But it isn't a pretty sight." Oak said.

Ash headed out from Oaks lab with Pikachu still sitting on his shoulder. Muk decided to stay and `catch up´ with the professor .

* * *

As Ash walked to the road on his way to his house he couldn't help but remember memories from his childhood. He remembered when he ran in his PJ's to Oaks house because he had overslept, just to get a Pikachu that ThunderShocked him as soon as he saw him. Ash smiled at the memory and started to rub Pikachu behind its ears, Pikachu cooed happily.

When Ash finally was in front of his yard he couldn't help but feel a sting in his heart.

There, where his house that he had lived in, was nothing more that a black spot. Not even the flowers had manage to survive.

Ash fell to his knees and wondered if he somehow had made the world hate him.

He sat there for a long time, stared at the ground all the time, until he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw a green lizard with a twig in its mouth, and behind the lizard stood the rest of his pokemon. They were all smiling at him, trying their best to comfort him, and it helped.

Ash stood up and smiled at them and said, "What about some training?" The pokemon roared and cheered in agreement.

All his pokemon paired up with each other, Pikachu paired up with Torterra, Gliscor with Staraptor, Floatzel with Lucario, Venusaur with Tauros, Kingler with Snorlax, Heracross with Typhlosion, Meganium with Feraligatr, Noctowl with Swellow, Donphan with Glalie, Crawdaunt with Torkoal, Sceptile with Blastoise and Charizard with Pidgeot. Muk was still at professor Oaks lab so Ash paired up with Infernape.

"Begin guys!" Ash yelled to them. At his words the pokemon started to dodge and fire attacks at each other.

"Remember Infernape, no fire attacks this time." Ash warned Infernape. Infernape just smiled and charged forward to Ash.

As the training continued Infernape tried to hit Ash with his fists or feat, but Ash manage to dodge them all, but some barley. He then tried to land a punch at Infernape, but Infernapes speed was to great so it ended with he just hit air.

The training continued for a while, but then suddenly Ash heard a cry and saw Staraptor land an attack at Gliscor so Gliscor crashed to the ground. Infernape took notice by Ash's distraction so he fired a Mach Punch straight to Ash's chest. Ash's eyes widened by surprise as the punch hit him with full speed. He flew several meters before landed on his back, and he continued to lie there. Infernape grew worried and hurried over to Ash, along with his other pokemons. Infernape leaned over Ash's body as a fist flew up and hit Infernape in the stomach. That caused Infernape to kneel as Ash got up from the ground.

"Never lower your guard until the battle is declared over." Ash said while he was smiling at Infernape, his other pokemon just laughed as they saw Infernape give his master a thumbs-up.

"I think that we've trained enough for today." Ash said as he looked at his pokemon, some of the were exhausted while some were just a little tired. But neither of them try to show any signs.

"Let's go back to the ranch." Ash said as his pokemon obeyed and started to move towards professor Oaks house.

Ash looked back at the place that had been his house and started to remember a memory than he would be more than glad to get rid of.

* * *

_Flashback_

_It was two days after Delia Ketchums funeral._

_Ash Ketchum sat alone with only Pikachu on the couch in his house in Pallet. Professor Oak had to go back to his lab for the moment._

_Suddenly the bell rang and Ash looked up. He walked to the door and opened it._

_He was very surprised to see that __May and Max's parents __Norman and Caroline Maple, __Brock's parents __Flint and Lola Stone, __Dawn's mother __Johanna Berlitz and Misty's sisters Daisy, Lily and Violet Waterflower stood in front of him._

"_What can I do for you?" asked a depressed and sorrowful Ash._

"_Can we come on?" Lola asked._

"_Sure, make yourself comfortable, can I get you something?" Ash asked, still tried his best to use his manor._

"_No, we'll be fine." Johanna said._

_Ash just nodded and walked over to the living room and sat down in a chair with Pikachu in his knees. He waited until all of the the relatives to his friends had sat down until he said._

"_What can I do for you?"_

"_First of all we want to say that we're like sorry for what happened to you mum." Lily said._

"_Yeah, and then we like want to say that we like will ask you how you like feel?" Daisy followed up._

"_Ash just looked at them strange and then turned to the others and asked, "What can I really do for you?"_

"_Was it really Team Rocket that killed your mother?" Flint asked._

"_Yes." Ash said shortly with a low tone._

"_Do you know why?" another parent asked._

"_No, I don't really know the complete reason for it." Ash said._

"_Have you ever thought of that it might be.... I'm sorry, but I don't know how I can say this..." Caroline said._

"_Like, your fault?" Violet asked._

"_What!?" Ash said loud._

"_We're not trying to make you feel worse or something. We only mean that from what we've heard from our children is that Team Rocket has some unfinished businesses with you." Norman explained._

"_But what about you?" Ash said angry and at the same time even more depressed. "All of you have interfered with Team Rockets plans."_

"_Yes, but it was only to save our own things." Lola explained, "You on the other hand, have stopped Team Rockets plans that didn't even involve you."_

"_You mean that I shouldn't help innocent people?" Ash asked, his anger was rising more and more._

"_We mean that you maybe should have been a little more discrete and stopped looking for trouble!" Caroline said. "You've not only interfered with Team Rocket! You've also interfered with Team Magma, Team Aqua and Team Galactic!" She almost shouted._

"_I don't see why that's your problem!" Ash said furious._

"_It is our problem because our children where with you!" Caroline screamed at him._

"_Your children knew what they did!" Ash shouted back._

"_No! They just followed with YOU!" Caroline said, her eyes were close to tears. "How do you know if any of the criminal organizations decides to attack us or our children for helping YOU?"_

_Ash just stood there dumbfound. "You... you think that Team Rocket killed my mum... because of me?"_

"_We're almost certain of that." Norman said calmly, but his voice was filled with anger. "And now you've put us and our children at the same risk, just so you could play hero!"_

_Pikachu couldn't take it more, he tried to slung himself towards Norman but Ash restrained him. So instead Pikachu began shout "Pikachu! Pika pikapi!" at him._

_Ash didn't know what to say, was they right? Was it really his fault that his mum had died? _

"_What... what am I going to do?" Ash said more to himself than the others._

"_You're going to stop spend time with our children, or any of us." Said Flint simple._

"_We love our children, and we don't want them to turn out like you..." said Caroline and pronounced `you´ with __disgust. "and if you consider anyone else as a friend you should stop see them to. It would be better for all of us if you just ran away and never came back!"_

_Ash was filled with emotions, but instead of letting them out he just sprinted to the door and out of the house._

_Pikachu, that had jumped of Ash's shoulder as he raised himself from his seat, looked at the Maples, Berlitz, Stones and Waterflowers with anger as his cheeks were sparkling. Then he ran after his master._

_Ash had run for a while before Pikachu caught up with him. He then turned his gaze back to his house, looked at it for a moment, then continued to walk to the forest. Pikachu jumped down from his shoulder to run to Oaks farm and gather the other pokemon._

_Once again Ash took a last look at his house before he walked away._

_End of flashback_

* * *

Ash clenched his fists when he thought about that memory, he didn't know who he was most angry at. But one thing he knew, he would not forgive them so easy. After a time that he had left he reasoned with his pokemon about his mothers death and figured out that it wasn't any personal vendetta against him, they were just trying to take her pokemon and she got in the way trying to defend it. But he didn't return home, he still had feared that it might really happened to his friends.

"Pika chu?" The yellow rodent asked his master.

"I don't know if I'll be fine Pikachu, I just hope so." Ash said as he turned away from the house and headed to professor Oaks ranch.

After dinner at Oaks house Ash decided to take a walk to town. He had exchanged his long black cloak and torn pants and shirt against a dark green pair of baggy trousers and a black T-shirt, he also had gotten new sneakers, his old were full of holes. He had refused a haircut, for a little time. Then he felt how annoying it really was to have his hair in his eyes all the time. Professor Oak had then, much to Ash's fear, taken out a scissor and placed him on a chair in the living room. Oak had tried to calm Ash down with that he had cut Gary's hair a lot of times, but that didn't help.

Finally when he had gotten his haircut it didn't look so bad, it reminded him of Lt. Surge, but Ash had raven black and a little longer hair than him. To complete the look and somehow replace his hat, he had lost it a long time ago, he tied a black band of cloth around his head, it looked like Tracey's but it was black and you could also see the knot in the back of it and some of the cloth hanged out freely from the knot.

Ash didn't think he looked that bad so he headed out to the inner city of Pallet Town.

He looked at the houses and people that were out there, it was a long time he had seen so many people at the same place.

When he walked around there, with Pikachu on his right shoulder. He was walking past a group of girls that was in his age, they were heading the other direction.

Ash, that was no longer the dense 12 year old he used to be, winked with his right eyes at the group of girls. Some of them started to giggle and blush.

When he had walked past them he turned around and looked after them. But Pikachu thought that his master's gaze were a little to low just to look at the girls backs so he simply gave Ash a small electric shock that made Ash slightly jump and give Pikachu an annoying look. Pikachu on the other hand just laughed at his trainers look.

Ash decided to eat at a restaurant, he had got some money from professor Oak.

After Ash had eaten his fried Pidgey with french fries, Pikachu had gotten a little ketchup bottle that he happily sat and sucked on, he went out again

After Ash had left the restaurant he headed down to a little market that had been put up.

Ash looked at the signs and the products that they were selling. He looked at a hat stand but decided that he liked the band instead of a hat, he knew that he would regret it a sunny day but he kept moving.

He didn't stay until he saw a very special stand. But it wasn't important that was in the stand, it was who worked at the stand.

One of the was a man that had blue long hair and looked to be in the age of 28, besides him were a woman with red hair that was kept in a really strange way, she also looked to be around 28 and besides her were a Meowth.

Ash wasn't sure it was them so he wanted to test if it really were them.

Ash walked up to the stand and asked the man, "How much does this cost?" and pointed at a random thing.

"Ah, that's one of my old bottle caps, it's really rare and costs 3,000 pokedollars." The man happily answered.

"Oh, man." Ash said dramatic. "If I pay so much then I'll get in trouble at home."

At the word `trouble´ the man flinched and the woman came up and said

"Prepare for trouble...."

".... and make it double!" joined the man in.

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Salesman, blasting off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare to buy!"

"Meowth! That's right!" Ash said quick.

"Hey! He stole my line!" Said the cat pokemon angry.

"Do we know you?" James asked.

"Well, it was a long time since you tried to take my Pikachu. Isn't that right buddy?", "Pika!"

"The twerp?!?" The former Rockets yelled.

"The one and only." Ash smirked. "It's nice to see that you've finally settled down."

"Yeah, we've found our call, we sell best on the market here!" Jessie said proudly.

"Without dirty methods?" Ash asked raising an eyebrow. Jessie, James and Meowth only mumbled something in response.

"Well, at least we don't steal anymore!" They stated happy.

"Well there's one good thing." Ash said amused with a laughing Pikachu on his shoulder.

" But what are you doing here?" James asked. "I know that it's your hometown but why do you come back now? You have been gone for years!"

"I've been alone with my pokemon for four years." Ash said. Jessie, James and Meowth looked puzzled at him.

Ash decided to explain everything to them. After he had been done talking both Jessie, James and Meowth cried. Jessie and Meowth because they also had gone through some kind of thing like Ash had. And James, well because he's always over dramatic.

"The lone warrior has returned to his long lost love!" James said while he was crying.

"Yeah, that's rig..... WHAT?" Ash said as Pikachu fell off his masters shoulder, laughing so hard.

"Go brave warrior!" James said in his dramatic voice once again. "Go and find your long lost love!"

Ash started to blush as he picked the laughing rodent off the ground and started to walk back to professor Oaks ranch.

* * *

When they had gone for a while and Pikachu had calmed himself down Ash started to talk to him.

"Can you believe what they said?" He asked his faithful partner. Pikachu nodded his head energetically in agreement. "Then what did they mean then?" Ash asked his companion curious.

Pikachu just laughed and jumped off Ash's shoulder and started to sprint to Oaks house.

"Hey! Pikachu wait up!" Ash yelled as he started to run after the little rodent.

Soon Ash caught up with his pokemon. He found Pikachu stand over something that he couldn't see what it was.

"What is it Pikachu?" Ash asked as he got closer, then he saw it.

It was the body of a young girl, she was around eight years old and had black hair, she was rather small for her age.

Ash checked quickly after her pulse and sighed in relief as he found it and felt that it was steady. He then took the girl up in his arms and started sprint towards professor Oaks lab with Pikachu right behind him.

When he arrived at professor Oaks laboratory Ash quickly ran in and put the girl on the sofa. He then ran and woke Samuel Oak up and explained what had happened. Oak told Ash to go to bed and he would take care of the girl, Ash agreed with that and went to bed.

* * *

Early next morning the little girl opened her eyes and wondered where she was. Oak noticed that the girl had woken up and walked to her.

"How are you feeling?" He asked with a kind voice.

"A little tired." The girl said. "Are you professor Oak?"

Oak smiled and nodded his head.

"How did I come here?" The little girl asked.

"Ash carried you here, you had fainted in the middle of the road." Oak explained.

"Who's Ash?" The little girl asked curious.

"That would be me!" Said a loud deep voice from a corner in the room.

The girl looked at him and started to blush like madly.

"_Oh great!"_ Ash thought sarcastic, and professor Oak started to titter.

"Where are you from?" Ash asked later.

"I'm from the west side of Pallet Town," The girl answered, still looking down at the floor. "I don't remember what happened to me." She then added.

"What's your name?" Ash asked with a kind voice as he walked towards the little girl.

"It's... It's Sarah Williams." The girl stuttered.

"Well Sarah, my name's Ash Ketchum." Ash said. "And this is, as you probably know, Samuel Oak." then he added. "And this is Pikachu." The little yellow rodent jumped up to the girl and rubbed his cheek against hers.

"Cutie!!" The girls squealed as she hugged Pikachu. Ash stood there and laughed, Pikachu normally had those kind of effects on people.

"Where are your parents?" Ash asked a few minutes later.

"I don't know, I haven't seen them in a couple of moths." Sarah said sadly.

Ash and Oak looked at each other. "Professor, do you think that she can stay with you as you look for her parents?" Ash asked.

"Yes certainly, if that's OK with you Sarah." Oak said. Sarah nodded happily and threw a short glance at Ash, which sweat-dropped at it.

"Then it's settled!" Oak said. "Are any of you hungry?"

"Yes!" Both Ash and Sarah said at the same time. They looked at each other and Ash smiled at her, Sarah started to blush again.

During the breakfast Sarah told them about her parents, to help Oaks search of them. Then she wanted to know what Ash did.

"I'm a pokemon trainer." Ash said.

"Can I see the rest of you pokemon? Pleaseee?" Sarah said.

"Sure you can, follow me." And by those word they walked out.

Ash let out a loud whistle and within seconds his pokemon stood in a line in front of them. Sarah got delighted as she started to run up to them and climb on them.

Pokemon like Charizard, Sceptile and Lucario got slightly annoyed by that, but pokemon as Feraligatr and Muk got delighted and started to play with the girl.

"Ash!" the professor called. "I think you need to get going now!"

"Yeah, you're right professor." Ash said as he started to walk into the house to gather his stuff.

Sarah didn't hear what they said as she continued to play with the pokemon.

A few minutes later Ash came out with the same clothes as he wore the day before, but now he had his old black cloak over them but his hood wasn't pulled over his head. on his shoulders were Pikachu and a backpack.

"I'm ready to leave now professor." Ash said. "It was good to see you again."

"Indeed my boy, I feel the same." Professor Oak said. "Have a safe trip!"

"Where are you going?" Sarah asked.

"I'm going to compete in the TBC tournament!" Ash said as he began to walk to his pokemon. "It was nice to meet you Sarah, but I got to go now."

"Wait!" Sarah yelled. Ash looked at her confused. "Let me go with you!" Sarah said as she started to run towards Ash.

"What? Why should you want to go with me?" Ash asked confused. "I'm sure you'll have a lot more fun here with the professor than me."

"Pleaseeee!" Sarah said as she used the puppy eyes. Ash tried to ignore it but he slowly turned around to Oak and asked. "What do you think professor?"

"Well," said Oak, also startled by the girls look. "If she has made up her mind I can't really keep her here. It's your choice if you want to bring her with you."

Ash looked his pokemon and asked, "What do you guys think?" His pokemon just shrugged their shoulders.

"Please Ash please!" Sarah said, "I promise I won't be in the way!"

Ash looked at the young girl.

* * *

**You gotta love the cliffhangers (if you're a writer). I don't really know why I putted Sarah in the story just by that. But the girls Ash met in Pallet I just putted in to show you that he had become really handsome and stuff, and Pikachu works as a little Max/Misty/Croagunk.**

**I was forced to choose between four good choices with Ash's mysterious pokemon, they were Suicune, Garchomp, Dragonite or Lucario. I choose Lucario, because Ash had and experience with them before. I hope you don't mind I did that.  
**

**I hope you liked this chapter! **

**R&R!  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**It was much nicer to write after that I got so many reviews!  
Now I know that people appreciate this story!**

**In this chapter you'll read about both Ash, May and the others. (Got some wishes that I would write about how May and the others reacted on Ash's disappearance.)**

**I'll also warn Drew, Harley and Paul fans. I'm not making them the good guys in this story.**

**I also need you to vote a little for me, who should Misty be together with? Tracey or Gary?**

**Enjoy the chapter!  
**

* * *

Ash looked at the little girl. Should he take her with him? He hadn't traveled with people for four years!

Ash turned to his faithful yellow companion and gave him a look that meant _what should I do?_ Pikachu just gave him a look that could be translated as _You're the leader of our team, what you decide isn't up to us. You know we'll follow you wherever you go!_ At least Ash hoped that the look meant that.

"You can join us at two conditions." Ash then said, he turned to the girl. "One, you'll behave and not draw attention to us." The girl nodded.

"Two," Ash then said. "You'll do as I say without question me." The girl seemed to hesitate a little but then she said. "OK!" She then ran to Feraligatr and started to climb on him.

"Then it's settled." Professor Oak said. "I'll wish you good luck, both of you. Don't worry Sarah, I'll continue to search for you parents!" Oak the added and looked at the girl.

"Thanks Mr. Oak," Sarah said. "I know you'll do you best!"

"Okay then," Ash said. "It's time to decide which pokemon I should bring.

"Can I choose? Can I?" Sarah asked eagerly.

"No." Ash just said. "Things like that is up to me." He then walked to his pokemon, who still stood in line.

"Pikachu, will you join me on my journey to the Boon Island?" Ash asked the little rodent. Pikachu gave out a loud "Pika!" Then he jumped up at Ash's shoulder. "That's good Pi, thanks." Ash said as he chuckled slightly.

"Lucario, will you also join my team?" Ash asked the aura pokemon.

"_It'll be my honor to serve you in battle, master."_ Lucario said through his aura.

"Good." Ash said as he brought out Luacrio's pokeball and recalled him.

"Charizard." Ash said as he turned to the big red lizard. "You were one of my first pokemon, you have taken me to different places with a speed that most people would find impossible. Will you help me to get to the Boon Island?" The giant lizard gave a roar in approval.

"Thanks." Ash said and recalled Charizard to.

"Sceptile." Ash said with a loud voice as he turned to the green lizard. Sceptile looked at his master. "I know that you would never forgive me if I took away your training partner from you." Ash said with a smile. It was true, Sceptile and Charizard were two of Ash's strongest pokemon. They always sparred against each other. "So will you come with me and battle the elites?" Sceptile's leave on his right arm began to glow as a sign for it was ready.

"Thank you." Ash said and recalled Sceptile.

"I need a water pokemon." He then said. "Will all of my water pokemon lineup?"

The water pokemon did as they were told and Ash walked pass Floatzel, Kingler, Feraligatr, Crawdaunt and Blastoise. He then turned around and started to walk the other way until he stopped before Floatzel.

"Floatzel," Ash said as he looked down at the weasel. "You are probably one of my pokemon who loves battling the most." Floatzel did a little smirk as he looked at his master and nodded in approval. "Then will you join me?" Ash then asked his pokemon.

Floatzel gave a short "Float!" And raised his right paw in the air. Ash nodded and recalled him. "Thanks." He said to the pokeball as he then attached it on his belt.

"There's only one spot left." Ash stated to the group. "If I could I would've brought you all with me, but the rules only allows six pokemon. Therefore it should be..." Ash looked around at the rest of his pokemon. They all looked like they wanted to go with him and battle.

Ash turned to a gray armored elephant and said. "Donphan, will you be the sixth at my team?" Donphan were filled with excitement that he jumped on Ash and made him fall to the ground.

Ash laughed as he recalled Donphan and mumbled a "Thank you." to his pokemon and attached the pokeball to his belt along with the other six balls.

"Let's go then!" Ash said to Pikachu and Sarah, which both of them cheered. Ash then turned to the rest of his pokemon and said, "Don't be sad. I'll make some changes in my team later, so the most of you will be able to come with me and battle, but now I need you here to train!" His pokemon nodded at him and headed to the forest, water and the fields. Ash looked at Sarah and Pikachu.

"Are we all set?" He then asked them. Pikachu gave a short nod. "What about you Sarah?" Ash asked the little girl.

"Well, I've only have the clothes that I came to the house with. So we have to go shopping before we go!"

Ash got a horrified look on his face at the word `shopping´. "No way!" Ash said. Shopping was one of the things he hated the most.

"But then I only got one set of clothes!" Sarah said.

"So what? I've manage with one set of clothes for four years!" Ash said.

"Pika, pikachu pi." The little mouse mumbled under his breath.

"Hey! You didn't complain when we were out there." Ash said angry and a little bit hurt by his pokemons words.

"You don't have to worry." Professor Oak said. "I can take out some of Gary's old clothes, when he was six years he were really fond of dresses and..." Professor Oak got silent when he saw the evil smirk on Ash's face. "... I guess I shouldn't have said that." Oak said after a couple of seconds.

"GARY wore DRESSES when he was younger?" Ash asked, the evil smirk were still on his face. It even had affected Pikachu who also had one on him.

"Well, just for a short period. You don't need to tell him anything about that, he would hate me forever then!" Oak said as he walked in to his house to get the clothes.

"Who's Gary?" Sarah asked Ash.

"Somebody that I'll really enjoy to meet again now." Ash said, the evil smirk hadn't left his face completely.

Soon professor Oak came out with the clothes in a bag and handed them to Sarah.

"Now you'll be careful, both of you." Oak said and gave them both a short hug. He had grew really fond of the little girl during her short time there.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of Ash for you!" Sarah said with a cheerful manner that caused Ash to raise his eyebrow.

"Of course you will!" Oak said. "Now, good luck in the TBC tournament Ash."

"Don't need it, but thanks anyway." Ash said as he summoned Charizard.

Ash the jumped up on Charizard and seated himself on his back.

"You coming?" Ash asked Sarah, the little girl just climbed up at Charizard and wrapped her arms around Ash. A little to much for Ash's comfortable.

"Hang on tight." Ash said. "Let's fly Charizard, to Boon Island!"

With those word Charizard took of with a great speed with a calm young man on his back and a laughing little rodent in his knees. Behind the young man were a screaming little girl as she wrapped her arms around the boy even harder.

* * *

**Region Changing**

A brown haired girl had just board the ferry, she were around the age of 16 to 17, she had got rid of her bandana and had her hair fully let out. Her hair reached to the half of her back, her body had also changed during those years, it had gotten curvier, her hips had grew bigger, also her chest. The girl wore a knee long skirt and a pink tank-top. In other words, the boys all around her began to drool at the barley sight of her, the girl were also 5,7 feet tall. Her name was May Maple, the coordinator from Hoenn.

Beside her stood a blunette ,around 15 to 16 years old, that were almost as tall as the brunette, the time also had gotten good on her, her hips and chest were almost as big as May's. She had also got rid of her white beanie and still had her hair the way she had it when she began her journey, just a little longer than before. The blunette had a black skirt that just were so short that it almost didn't cover her underwear, it made boys around her `accidentally´ bend down and then trying to take a look up. She also had blue T-shirt. Her name was Dawn Berlitz, the coordinator from Sinnoh.

A little behind Dawn was another girl, barley taller than May. She hadn't change as much as the other two and were around 18 years old. Her chest and hips had also developed but not as much as Dawn's and May's. She still wore the clothes that she had at the Mirage Kingdom. She still had her hair at the same old tomboyish way, but that didn't make her unattractive, she also had boys staring at her, in particular two. Her name was Misty Waterflower, the Cerulean gym leader.

The first one of them had brown spiky hair and Jeans and were around 17 years old. He also had a black T-shirt and some sort of necklace. His name was Gary Oak, pokemon researcher and the grandson of professor Oak.

Next to him were a boy with brown hair, but with a red headband to keep it up. He was around 18 years old and had a green T-shirt and shorts, also he were looking at the redheaded girl, called Misty, and at the same time glaring at Gary. His name was Tracey Sketchit, pokemon watcher and assistant of professor Oak.

Behind him were two boys.

One of the boys were around 22 years old and had brown spiky hair and a green brown west, under it were a black T-shirt. He also wore brown baggy jeans. His name was Brock Stone, pokemon breeder and former Pewter City gym leader.

The other one of the boys were the shortest in the group. The boy had glasses and teal hair, he had brown eyes and were around 14 years old. He had a green T-shirt and brown shorts. His name was Max Maple, pokemon trainer and son of Norman, the Petalburg City gym leader, he's also the younger brother of May Maple.

"OK guys," Brock, the oldest of the group said. "Finally we've arrived on the ferry!"

"It took sometime." Max said. "But at least now I'm a step closer to battle in the TBC tournament!"

May, Dawn and Misty smiled at the little boys enthusiasm.

"Now now Max, you shouldn't be so hasty on these things. First you need to pass the preliminary rounds, then you can celebrate."

The group turned around quick just to spot their parents, Mr and Mrs Maple, Mr and Mrs Stone and Mrs Berlitz.

"What are you guys doing here?" Dawn asked with a surprised voice.

"We're here to cheer Max on in the tournament." Said Caroline Maple.

The group of kids sighed at those words. It was not that they didn't like their parents, it was just that the last years they had been really overprotective. Misty were sure that if it weren't for that her sisters needed to take care of the gym they probably would be here to.

"So you guys booked a room yet?" Brock asked them. He were more annoyed that his parents were here than the others. He was 22 years old after all!

"Yeah, we have room number 125." Said Johanna Berlitz.

"And we have room number 23." Said Max. "So it means that we won't see each other so much on the trip." He added with a smile.

"Maybe not, but if you need anything we're always here for you!" Lola answered with her cheerful voice.

The group of youngsters didn't answer, they just headed straight to their rooms.

They had two rooms, they had split the rooms so that the boys slept in one and the girls in the other one. But now they were all in the boys room.

"I can't believe our parents are here!" Said Dawn. She looked really disappointed, they had all looked forward for some sort of vacation for the whole group, without their parents.

"Yeah, they even visited us during our travels." Max said. "Isn't that right May?" He asked and turned to his sister. However, May had her thoughts at another place.

"MAY!" Max screamed in her ear.

May jumped slightly and hit her brother in the head so he fell to the floor.

"Why the hell did you scream into my ear?!" May yelled.

"You were kinda spaced out May." Gary said to May.

"You were thinking about him? Weren't you May?" Brock asked concerned.

The whole group got silent and everybody stared down to the ground, it had been almost four years since their friend had been declared dead, and nobody had the heart to talk about it.

"We're all missing him May." Tracey said after a while. "But he's gone now, and there's nothing you can do."

"I... I know." May said. "But something deep inside me tells me that he isn't gone, that he's still out there."

The group looked questioned at her until Dawn said.

"I'm having a similar feeling to.", "Me to." Brock also said.

"Hey guys," Gary said. "it's Max's big day today, so let's cheer up. We can't change the pass."

The group silently nodded. Soon somebody began talk about something and minutes later the room were filled with laughter and voices, except from one brown haired girl, she continued to stare into the wall. She always was the last to recover from the memory from him. She began to remember a very unwelcome memory.

* * *

_Flashback_

_A group of three persons were walking down the road to Pewter City, one of them were a girl with brown hair and around 13 years old. There was another girl around 12 years old with blue hair and a cheerful face. There was a 10 year old boy there to, he had teal hair and glasses._

_Their names were Max and May Maple and Dawn Berlitz, they were on their way to visit an old friend of them. His name was Brock Stone._

_But it wasn't just a normal friendly visit, they had got a note from nurse Joy at a pokemon center a couple of days ago, it said that they needed to get to Pewter City so quick as possible and go and visit Brock._

_When they had arrived at the gym they knocked at the door. They had all been there before and were surprised that the sound of playing children didn't echo through the walls of the gym._

_The door opened by a person they recognized as Brock, but something was wrong with him. He wasn't his old carefree him, his eyes were tired and sad and it looked like he hadn't slept for weeks._

"_Hi Brock!" Max said cheerful and hugged Brock, but Brock just stood there._

"_Brock, what's wrong?" May asked him concerned. They had all of them looked at Brock as a big brother, and they didn't like it when he looked so sad._

"_I guess you haven't heard then." He said in a sad and tired tone. "Come in."_

_They walked through the gym, nobody dared to say a word._

_They walked over the battlefield and continued through the door into the real house. May, Max and Dawn were surprised to see that Misty, Gary and Tracey sat there. None of them had a single smile on their faces._

_The trio of Dawn, May and Max thought the same thing after a few seconds. But Dawn was the first to speak up._

"_Where's Ash? What's happened here? Why's all of you so down?" Dawn asked them._

_Neither of the four of them looked like they wanted to answer. But Brock, who was the oldest in the group, began to talk._

"_For two weeks ago, Delia Ketchum was buried in the cemetery." Brock said, unable to continue._

"_She's... she's dead?" Max asked horrified. Tears had already began to fall down Dawn and May's faces._

_Brock only nodded in response._

"_Where's Ash?" May asked through his tears. She didn't even want to think of the pain Ash probably went through right now._

"_We don't know." Gary said quietly._

"_What do you mean you don't know?" May almost yelled. "He's got to be in Pallet shouldn't he?"_

"_May, Ash has disappeared. We have no idea where he is, all of his pokemon are also gone." Tracey said._

_May fell down to her knees. Ash, the one who always had been there to comfort them all the time, were missing and his mom had recently died. May felt terrible that she couldn't be there for him and comfort him, like he had comforted them when they had a bad time._

"_We got to find him." Dawn suddenly said. "He would've been out there and looked for us!"_

"_We're already looking for him." Came a voice from the door. The kids turned to the sound of the voice and spotted their parents and Misty's sisters._

"_Mum!" Max said and ran to his mother and hugged her. "Why is Ash gone?" Will he come back?"_

"_I don't know why Ash is gone. I'm sure he got a lot on his mind, I suggest that we just leave him to think for himself for a while, I'm sure that he'll come back soon." Caroline said to her son, trying to comfort him._

"_Do any of you have any idea why Ash might have left?" Brock asked May, Max, Dawn, Tracey, Gary and Misty. They all shook their heads. Brock then turned to the parents._

"_Do you know why he has left?" Brock asked them._

_All of them shook their heads._

"_I'm sure he'll be back soon." Lola said to her son._

_End of flashback_

* * *

He didn't come back, they all started to search for him with the help of the police and the citizens of Pallet Town, but they never found a sign of him. Until three years ago.

Somebody had found a red torn cap out in the woods, it was such in a bad shape that when May got to see it she broke down crying. She thought about the horrible things that could have happened to him.

May started to do lousier and lousier in her contests, and it didn't help her that Drew first began to mock her and then ask her out for a date. She turned him down every time. After that she and Dawn, who it had gone pretty similar in her contests to, decided to take a break from them.

After a couple of months they began to travel again, but this time the whole group of Tracey, Dawn, May, Brock, Gary and Max began to travel. They didn't like the idea first, but their parents insisted on them to travel together, so after a time they began to get used to it and started to like it. Misty also often came and visited them.

May thought about how she had seen her brother grew as a trainer, she knew that he never would've come that far without the help of Ash when he was younger. Max had decided to compete in the Hoenn league as the first, but he never managed to beat his dad, so he skipped the Hoenn league and traveled with May and Dawn to Kanto and started to collect badges there. He manage to come to the top 32 in the Indigo league. Then he managed to finally beat his dad and get his eight badge that needed so he could compete in the Hoenn league, he got to top 16 there. He then decided to challenge the Sinnoh league, he managed to come to top 16 there to. He then decided to follow Ash's steps and challenge the Kanto Battle Frontier, he didn't even get passed Noland, the first brain. Then Max got a letter that he had been nominated to compete in the TBC tournament, May suspected her dad or Misty to have nominated him.

And here they were, four years after Ash's disappearance.

May looked at Dawn, the coordinator who had admired her so much, now she had almost become as good as May, in their latest contests they decided to challenge the same Grand Festival. Dawn made it to the top 4 just to face May, and after a hard battle May had won with a slight victory. May had gotten really happy, she thought she would be able to win the Grand Festival, but then she faced Harley in the finals, she lost. Harley had in the beginning mocked her about Ash's disappearance so she lost her focus, just to get beaten in the finals. May then felt like she had let everybody down, that's why Max's invitation had come as a wonderful gift as a vacation from Drew, Harley and contests.

"Hey May." May looked up just to see Tracey. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah, I'm fine thank you." May answered halfhearted. Tracey nodded and sat on the bed and started to observe Misty again.

May were probably the only one in the group that had noticed that both Tracey and Gary fancied Misty, May wasn't even sure if Misty knew.

It had all happened when Misty started to visit them on their travels, Gary and Tracey had become more and more hostile against each other when she was there. But when Misty wasn't there they were good friend again. May really had no idea who Misty liked of them, sure they had their girl talks between May, Dawn and Misty. But the question love and crushes had never occurred them. It was most who you found was good looking and who was not.

May's eyes turned over to Brock, the breeder and the groups big brother. Since Ash had disappeared he was the one that held the group together now. Brock had still his unfortunate luck with the ladies, he blamed Max, Misty and Croagunk, May couldn't help but feel sorry for Brock each time he got dragged off by both of his ears and got a Poison Jab in his guts. But his cooking was still good as ever.

May decided that it wasn't time to feel depressed, not at her little brothers big day. The tournament were really big for him. May knew that Max couldn't win it, but it was a great opportunity for him to meet other big trainers and get experience from them.

May was on her way out of the room when a voice called her.

"Hey May! Are you going somewhere?" It was Max, he had a worried look at his face.

"Just gonna look around at the boat." May responded. "I won't be gone for long."

"Can I go with you?" Dawn asked May.

"Sure, I can't see why not." May said to Dawn.

They walked out together.

May and Dawn had become really good friends. They could talk about practically everything, except Ash, neither of them were ready to go there, even after all these years.

The girls walked up for a stair until they came out on the deck of the boat. They looked at the big area of it. It was one of the biggest boats they had ever been on, and they got the tickets for free!

May and Dawn both remembered that Boon Island was famous for their shopping malls. Dawn and May started to talk about which stores they were gonna go in to and which stores they were not gonna go in to, what they're gonna buy and what they're not gonna buy and so on. They continued to talk about that kind of things until they saw two very unwelcome sights.

One of them were about 17 years old and had green eyes and green hair, his impudent expression did not go unnoticed by the two female coordinators. His name was Drew Shuu, a coordinator from LaRousse.

The other one was a man, they thought, with green eyes and purple long hair, his clothing was like a Cacturne and he looked really `girly´. His name was Harley, a coordinator from Slateport City.

May and Dawn didn't like anyone of them, and they were really surprised that they were here.

"Let's walk away from them." Dawn whispered to May. "They maybe haven't seen us yet."

May nodded and they slowly began to turn to the door.

"Helooooo!! May, Dawn over hereee!" May and Dawn stopped dead track at the sound of the voice and slowly turned around to face Harley.

"It's so nice to see you again hun!" Harley said as he made an attempt to hug May and Dawn, they quickly got out of his way.

"Ah, miss Maple and miss Berlitz. What a nice surprise, for you." They heard Drew say with his spoiled arrogant voice. "You've finally quit contests and started to battle? We both know that you only humiliated yourself by entering contests."

"No Drew, I've not quit contests. I'm just here to cheer on my brother." May said, she tried to ignore the two males coordinators words, but they still got to her somehow.

"What are you two doing here anyway?" Asked Dawn, she didn't despite Harley and Drew as much as May did, but she still despite them. "You're not trainers."

"So cute that such a cute little girl can make that conclusion!!" Harley cooed in a very unmanly way.

"We're not here to battle, we're here to give support for the future winner of the TBC tournament!" Drew stated proudly.

"Who? Cynthia?" Dawn asked confused.

"No, Paul Slaid." Drew said.

With those words another person came up to them. He had black eyes and purple hair.

"Drew, Harley," He then looked at the girls and said. "pathetic wanna-be-coordinators."

Dawn became furious and launched herself towards Paul, only to be restrained by a pair of strong hands.

"Calm down Dawn, he isn't worth it!" Said Brock as he held the furious Dawn, May just looked towards the ground.

"I'm gonna get you!" Dawn yelled at Paul, Paul just sneered.

"I'm gonna beat him for you Dawn." Max whispered to Dawn, unfortunately Paul heard it.

Paul let out a cold laugh before he said. "You're gonna beat me? You're more pathetic than Ketchum, why don't you go and ask him for advice? Oh, that's right. He's dead!"

Even Drew and Harley looked at Paul, stunned by his harshness, they knew that Paul and Ash had been great rivals but to talk bad about a dead person were to extreme.

Brock let Dawn go and launched himself towards Paul, along with Max, Dawn, Gary, Tracey, Misty and May.

But they didn't made it to him until a group of Machokes had gotten in their way and restrained them.

"I don't want any fights on my ships!" They captains voice boomed over the deck. "Return to you cabins now or you'll be thrown in the sea!"

Drew and Harley started to walk towards their cabins, Paul looked at May, Max, Dawn and Brock and gave them a taunting smirk before turning away and walked towards his own cabin.

Soon the Stone, Maple and Berlitz parents came and took their kids to their cabins meanwhile they scolded them for what they had done.

When it was time to go to bed the girls had changed and laid in their beds.

"You shouldn't give a damn about what Drew, Harley and Paul said Dawn and May." Misty told them. "They're just a bunch of no-good-idiots who lives on making the life miserable for normal people."

"You're right Misty, but we can't just let them talk like that!" Dawn said, still upset. "For God sake! They even talked trash about a dead..." Dawn stopped herself in her sentence.

It was all quite in the rooms, the only thing that could be heard were sobs from a brunette with her face in her pillow.

Both Misty and Dawn got up from their beds and made their way to May, there they sat and hugged her.

Both Misty and Dawn known about May's relation to Ash. Misty had a slight crush on him before, but Ash told her in a nice and mannered way that he only liked her as a friend, so she got over it.

Dawn also had a crush on Ash, but she never had the guts to tell him that. But May, she had something stronger than a crush, all of the girls knew it. It was something that most people would call love.

**End of Chapter 5**

* * *

**How was that chapter? Sad? Boring? Cheesy?**

**Don't forget to vote if Misty should get together with Gary or Tracey!**

**As you've seen now I'm more fond of writing about Ash instead of the rest of the gang. But I'll do my best.**

**Once again I would like to apologize to Drew, Harley and Paul fans.  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**Here's a new chapter!**

**As I said before, I won't update regularly. But that doesn't mean I can get to update often!**

**Don't forget to vote at which one of Tracey and Gary that should end up with Misty (The score's is Tracey: 2 Gary: 1, one vote per chapter!)  
**

**In this chapter you'll find out some things that Ash did during his absence.**

**Don't forget to Read and Review after!**

**Enjoy the chapter!  
**

* * *

As they were flying over the seas they spotted a group of Goldeen's jumping up and down in the water under them.

Sarah had forced Ash to order Charizard to slow down the speed, unless he didn't want to get wet. Ash had just chuckled at it and told Charizard to slow down.

"Are we there yet?" The little girl asked.

"For the hundred time in two minutes. We're there in three hours!" a annoyed Ash almost yelled at the girl. Sarah had asked the question non-stop for an hour.

"Well, sorry for asking then!" Sarah said grumpy.

Ash just shook his head, but he couldn't help but smile by the girls childishness.

"Can you tell me a story?" The girl suddenly asked.

"A story?" Ash asked confused.

"Yes!" The girl said again.

"What kind of story then?"

"Well... You can tell me a sad story!"

"A sad story? Why would you want to hear a sad story for?" Ash asked puzzled.

"Because they're the ones that are the most romantic!" The girl said happily.

Ash sweatdropped at the girls logic. "Okay then," He said. "I'll tell you a sad story."

Ash began to tell her.

"Seven years ago, a trainer went out on his journey. First he thought that it was hard, he had no idea how easy it were at that time. He battled fiercely with his pokemon at his side. He also did many achievements. First he came to the top 16 at the Indigo Conference, then top 8 at the Silver Conference, then top 8 again at the Ever Grande Conference. He also managed to conquer The Orange League and the Kanto Battle Frontier."

"He must have been really good!" Sarah piped in.

"Yeah, he was a young and aspiring trainer. But all good things comes to a end.

When he was thirteen years old he competed in the Sinnoh League, he was filled with confidence but got beaten in the first round by his rival, the same that he swore to beat. He was crushed. But he didn't let that take him down, he walked home to be greeted by his faithful pokemon and loving mother. He was happy.

Until that day..." Ash made a stop, considering if the story should be appropriate for a eight year old girl.

"What happened?" Sarah asked, she had gotten really interested by this story.

"Are you sure you want to know?" Ash asked.

"Yes!" The girl almost screamed.

"The day was one of the most terrifying day in the young boys life. He was up and ate his breakfast. Suddenly, he heard a scream. The boy ran out and found his mother laying on the ground, blood coming out of her. Beside his mother laid her pokemon and over them stood three persons from a team known as Team Rocket.

Team Rocket had tried to steal the woman's pokemon, and when she tried to stop them they killed her. Her last word to the boy were `I love you´."

Ash made a pause and took a look at Sarah, she had tear in her eyes.

"The funeral was a hard part for the boy." Ash then began. "He couldn't look up, the ones that he knew came and tried to comfort him. The young boy couldn't figure out how he had survived if it wasn't for his friends.

Two days after the funeral got the boy a visit. It was his friends parents. They blamed the boy for his mothers death and told him that his friends would probably go the same faith as his mother if he continued to meet them. The boy was crushed, he ran of into the forest. Some hours later his pokemon came to him and they began their journey towards loneliness." Ash took another look at the girl, he had left out some of the most extreme parts due to the girls young age. The girls face had tears coming down from her face.

"Not romantic enough?" Ash asked the girl.

"It was such a sad story!" Sarah said.

"Yeah. I told you it wouldn't be nice." Ash said in a calm tone.

"I can't believe what faith happened to the boy that ran away." Sarah then said after a while. "He was so lonely and had nobody to care for him!"

"Is he alive?" She then asked.

"What does your eyes say?" Ash said in his calm voice again.

Sarah looked at him puzzled. Ash sighed.

"Sarah, I'm the boy in the story, those things happened to me."

Sarah's eyes got big at those words.

"But you're alive!"

"Really? I haven't noticed..." Ash said sarcastic.

"What did you do under those years?" Sarah asked.

"You really want to know?"

Sarah seemed to hesitate before she said. "Yes!"

Ash took a deep breath. "OK then, it all started..."

* * *

_Flashback_

_It was the area of route 10 in Kanto, a huge building known as The Power Plant, the home of Zapdos._

"_Hey! Be careful with those things!" A almost bald gray haired man known as Professor Namba yelled to the Rocket grunts._

"_Yes sir!" Said the two grunts. One of them had green hair and brown eyes, he had a black Team Rocket uniform, his name was Butch, classed as agent. _

_Beside him were his partner, she had golden hair and purple eyes, she also had a black uniform, her name was Cassidy, classed as agent._

_The three of them weren't alone in the room. Two more people watched as they were working._

_One of them were a woman, she had yellow hair and purple eyes, she would seem attractive to most of the men, not that so many got so close to her. Her fighting skills were as good as her looks._

_Beside her were a man with brown hair and black eyes. You could see that he was the one in charge over the grunts. His name was Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket._

"_How long Mr Namba?" Giovanni asked irritated, they had been here for such a long time._

"_Not long sir. Soon the device is ready to be activated." The professor responded. "Zapdos will soon hear the sound and will come flying here and try to destroy it!" _

"_Very well, tell the grunts to be prepared." Giovanni ordered Domino. _

"_Yes sir!" Domino said and took up a radio._

"_This is agent 009, are you ready to engage Zapdos? Over."_

_No response._

"_This is agent 009, do you read me? Over."_

_Still quiet._

"_I can't get a response sir." Domino said and turned to Giovanni._

"_What? Nothing can fail now!" Giovanni said angered. "Activate the machine! We'll take him down on our own."_

"_But sir..." Professor Namba started._

"_DO IT!" Giovanni yelled. He did not accept failure, especially not on such important mission as this._

_Professor Namba walked over the the machines and put his hand on the lever._

_Suddenly a yellow bolt struck the machine and electrocuted Namba, he fell unconscious to the ground._

"_Zapdos is here! Be ready!" Giovanni ordered Butch, Cassidy and Domino._

_They waited but nothing came._

"_What is this?" Giovanni asked. "Why isn't Zapdos coming?"_

"_GIOVANNI!" a roar came from the corridor._

"_Who's there?" Giovanni asked a little startled._

_Out from the corridor came a boy with a Pikachu on his shoulder. The boy looked to be around 14 years old, but it was something with him that didn't look human. His eyes, they were dead, cold and looked like they hungered for something..._

_Revenge._

_Giovanni seemed startled by this boy's present first but then he just said. "Butch, get the grunts and tell them to get rid of this kid!"_

"_That shouldn't be necessary Giovanni." The boy said. "Your grunts are knocked out and tied up and will be staying there and wait nicely for the police." The boys voice was so cold that Butch and Cassidy began to back off. Giovanni and Domino seemed angered to have their plans interrupted by a young boy._

"_You called the police?" Giovanni asked._

"_Yes, they'll be arriving in an hour. Meantime we all can have some fun." The boy smiled with a sadistic smile._

_Butch and Cassidy turned to run away only to get struck by a ThunderBolt and fall down unconscious on the ground._

"_Domino, get him!" Giovanni ordered._

_Domino began to charge forward towards the boy, but the boy didn't move._

"_Ivysaur, Leech Seed." The boy said calmly._

_A green seed shoot out from Ivysaur that had been behind the rockets without their notice. The seed landed on Domino and started to suck her energy out. To a pokemon it wouldn't give so much, but a human isn't as strong as a pokemon is so Domino dropped down on the ground and didn't move._

"_Who are you?" Giovanni demanded._

"_My name is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, son to Delia Ketchum!" Ash said in a cold dead voice._

"_Ketchum? So you're son to the foolish woman that interfered with my grunts work?"_

_Ash just stared at Giovanni. Then he took out a pokeball and summoned a green lizard._

"_Tile!"_

"_A Sceptile? You want a pokemon battle?" Giovanni asked with a smirk. He then took out a ball and summoned..._

"_Kooking!" Said the big crab-pokemon Kingler._

"_You may think that I made a foolish choice to summon a water pokemon, but you'll see today that type isn't it all." Giovanni said with another smirk._

"_LeafBlade!" Ash ordered._

_Sceptile began charge forward with such speed that Giovanni hadn't time to react. The LeafBlade struck Kingler with such amazing strength that it got down to its `knees´._

"_CrabHammer!" Giovanni ordered his pokemon._

_Kingler's arm began to glow bright white as it made its way towards Sceptile._

"_Bullet Seed."_

_Sceptile shot out several green bullets that stopped Kingler in its track._

_The damage was to much for Kingler as he fell down and didn't get up._

"_Return Kingler!" Giovanni ordered as he redraw Kingler. "Looks like I underestimated you Ketchum. But this time you're going down!"_

"_Golem! Fight for me!" Giovanni yelled and summoned Golem._

"_Sceptile, use LeafBlade." Ash said, he didn't like the feeling that Giovanni had chosen one pokemon that were weak against his._

"_FirePunch Golem!" Giovanni ordered._

_The green leaf and the fist of fire clashed into each other. Slow but sure Golem began push Sceptile backwards. Golem's attack type and strange were to much for Sceptile to handle._

"_Return Sceptile, you did great." Ash said as he redraw his pokemon._

"_You don't want to battle to the end?" Giovanni asked with a smirk._

"_There's no need for anyone to get unnecessary hurt, except for you! Wartortle I need your assistance!" Ash called out as he summoned the blue turtle-pokemon._

"_HydroPump!" Ash called out._

"_RollOut!" Giovanni ordered._

_Wartortle redraw himself into his shell and began to shoot out a powerful jet of water against Golem. Golem hadn't got enough speed as the water struck him. Slowly he began to be pushed backwards until he fainted by the pressure._

"_Golem return!" Giovanni growled._

"_Return Wartortle, you did great." Ash said to his pokemon._

"_Why did you redraw your pokemon?" Giovanni asked puzzled._

"_Because you only got your Persian left. Your strongest against my strongest." Ash said coldly to Giovanni._

"_How did you know?" Giovanni asked._

"_You think I ran in here at the sight? I've been watching you for months!" Ash mocked Giovanni._

"_You think you're clever? Persian go!" Giovanni roared as he threw his pokeball._

"_Pikachu, it's time for you." Ash said._

_The yellow rodent nodded and jumped off his master's shoulder and stood in battle position towards the big cat pokemon._

"_Pikachu, ThunderBolt." Ash ordered._

_The little mouse pokemon began charge up electricity and then released it towards Persian._

"_ThunderBolt you to Persian!" Giovanni said._

_The two ThunderBolts met in the middle of the battlefield and collided with each other._

"_Looks like you can't rely on your little rats electricity." Giovanni smiled. "Persian Slash!"_

"_Iron Tail Pikachu!" Ash yelled._

_Once again the two attacks collided with each other._

"_Do it again Persian!" Giovanni ordered._

"_Agility Pikachu!"_

_The cat-pokemon looked confused as the yellow blur ran around her in such incredible speed._

"_Don't let it distract you Persian! Slash on random locations!"_

_The cat began to slash with it white glowing claw around herself. After three air hits it finally made contact._

"_Pikaaa!" Pikachu yelled as he got the large claw on his face and flew away a couple of meters._

"_Pikachu, let's finish this up!" Ash yelled to his faithful pokemon. "Quick Attack towards Persian!"_

"_Fool, Persian another Slash!" Giovanni called._

_Pikachu began charge forward with a great speed at the same time as Persian readied it's claw._

"_Now, turn the Quick Attack to a VoltTackle!" Ash shouted._

_Pikachu suddenly began to glow yellow and spark with electricity as he charged forward and made contact with Persian's Claw._

_The pokemon stood in that position for a few second until Persian began to fly back by the amount of power in Pikachu's attack. Persian hit the wall and didn't get up._

"_Persian!" Giovanni cried. He then looked at the boy with fear in his eyes._

_Giovanni was now unprotected as the boy began to walk towards him. Giovanni could also see through the corner of his eyes that many other pokemon began to surround him._

"_What are you gonna do with me?" Giovanni asked with his voice filled with fear._

"_I want to treat you as you and your organization has treated people since its existence." Ash said with a threatening voice._

_Giovanni started to tremble._

"_But." Ash then began. "Then I wouldn't be any better than you. That's why I'm going to turn you in to the police."_

_Giovanni got both relived and angry, who did this boy think he was to talk trash about Team Rocket?_

"_How did you..." Giovanni started._

"_Defeat you? Well, I can easily say that if it weren't for three people it would've been impossible."_

"_Who?"_

"_Three people that thought that murdering my mother was one step to much, you maybe know them as Jessie, James and Meowth. By the way, Meowth sends his best regards to Persian." Ash added with a smirk._

_Giovanni couldn't believe it, treason, by his own employers. When he got the hands on them he would..._

"_Pikachu, ThunderBolt."_

_Giovanni couldn't think anymore as the bolt struck him and he fell down to the floor._

_Ash walked out of the building, just in time to see police officers storm the place with Growlithes at their sides._

"_One down three to go Pikachu..." Ash said to his little rodent._

"_Pika." It said in determination. _

_End of Flashback_

* * *

"What happened next?" Sarah asked the young trainer.

"Pretty much the same. I went to Sinnoh and took down Cyrus as soon as he was alone, I did the same with Maxie that were in charge of Team Magma." Ash said in a little boasting manner as he stretched himself.

Pikachu noticed that the girl wasn't happy with the answer. The little rodent pulled up Ash's sweater, the girl blushed at the sight of the young mans well toned abs, but then she gasped at the scar that were about 10 centimeters long and were placed at the right side of his stomach.

"How did you get that?" Sarah asked Ash. "Was it Team Galactic or Team Magma that gave you that?"

"Neither of them." Ash replied calmly.

"Was it a pokemon?"

"Nope."

"Then tell me!" Sarah shouted in frustration.

"Okay then. You forgot about one team, Team Aqua."

"They were the ones that gave you the scar?" Sarah asked.

"Let me tell you..." Ash said.

* * *

_Flashback_

_A sixteen year old boy were standing on a big blue turtle-pokemon that were swimming in the sea towards a huge boat._

"_Almost there Blastoise!" Ash said, he had taken out most of Team Aquas grunts before he got here. He had tricked them into a small area and then used Venusaur's Sleep Powder, then it was just up to the police to pick them up._

_But Archie and some other grunts managed to escape to the boat, that's their destination._

"_Blastoise, be ready to attack everything that comes near us!" Ash said to his pokemon._

_Strange enough, there wasn't any resistance. The boat seemed abandoned._

_They were just a few meters away from the boat and Ash prepared to board it._

_Suddenly Ash and Blastoise were stuck in a web._

"_What the hell?" Ash said surprised. "Blastoise, rapid spin so we can get out of here!"_

_But before Blastoise could do anything the net was fused with electricity, both Ash and Blastoise screamed in pain as thousands of volts went through their bodies._

"_B..Blastoise Re..return!" Ash said in pain as he recalled the already fainted turtle._

_Ash got a last look at the men that came towards him before it all went dark._

_Ash woke up by a hard slap across the face. He tried to move his arms but they were tied to a chair, the same with his legs._

_When his vision came back he could see that he was in a small dark room with two Team Aqua grunts and a man with black beard and a blue bandana that was tied around his head. It was the leader of Team Aqua, Archie._

"_Well, well. I should be honored to have such a visit by the one who took out Team Rocket, Galactic, Magma and almost all my army." Archie said as he tried to hide his anger. "Tragically, I'm not!" _

_With those word he punched Ash in the face._

"_Did you say something?" Archie smiled evilly._

"_Yeah, could you repeat that you were honored to meet me?" Ash said as he smiled through the blood that came out from his mouth._

_Archie didn't say it again, he just punched Ash one more time in his face, harder this time, so Ash's chair tipped and Ash got on the floor, still tied to the chair._

_Archie then started to signaling to his grunts and they walked up to Ash and started to kick him in his stomach and his head._

"_That's enough for now," Archie said after a couple of minutes. "Let's not kill him to quick. I want to have some more fun with him. What do you think about that Ash?" Archie asked with a evil smile._

"_Well. Truth to be told, I'm more into girls." Ash said as he tried to smile through the pain and blood._

_He got another kick in the stomach for that sentence._

_Ash didn't know how long it had taken, minutes, hours, days? But the door opened again, Archie and the same two grunts stood there. Ash thought that they must be the only ones left in Team Aqua._

"_I'm afraid the fun is over Ash." Archie said as he approached Ash. "The police have found out our position and we can't afford with unnecessary weight while we drive away." He said with a sick smile._

_Archie then took out a long knife and stabbed Ash into the right side of his stomach with it._

"_Any last words?" Archie asked with a weird smile._

"_Yeah, you won't kill anyone like that."_

"_Oh, I'm not gonna kill you yet, I just want you to suffer a little bit more until I finish your life." Archie said with another sick smile. "After all, who's going to save you?"_

"_My pokemon." Ash said as he coughed from the stab in his stomach._

"_We have your pokemon here." Archie said and made a gesture to the drawer in the room. "All 23 of them."_

"_That's strange," Ash said as he got a little smile on his face. "I thought I had 26."_

_Suddenly a huge roar and a boom came from the wall as it exploded. Next was a huge yellow lightning in the room._

_Some seconds after it got quite again. _

_Archie and his two grunts were lying on the floor, the wall behind them were in pieces and over the three men stood a huge red lizard, known as Ash's Charizard. On top of Charizard sat two other pokemon, a little yellow rodent and a blue jackal._

"You called master._" Lucario said through his aura._

"_Yeah, nice of you to pay a visit." Ash said, then he winced in pain from the cut he got._

"_Pi PikaPi!" Pikachu said as his tale began to glow white and cut off the ropes that tied Ash to the chair._

"_It's okay Pi, I'm fine. It just hurts like hell." Ash tried to joke._

_His pokemon didn't believe him._

"I'm sorry master, but we need to do this so you won't bleed to death._" Lucario said as he walked to the drawer and pulled out Meganium's pokeball._

"_Please, don't do it. I'm fine, I promise!" Ash said as he tried to stand up._

_Lucario just shook his head and called out Meganium. Meganium looked confused as she looked around._

"_Pikachu, pika pi chuu!" Pikachu explained to Meganium._

_Meganium nodded her head and sent out a green whine, the whine touched Ash's wound and then Meganium began to glow bright green, the move was known as Synthesis. Ash winced in pain as the Synthesis also affected him. _

_It was something that they had discovered, if a pokemon does Synthesis and is somehow linked with another being the other one will also heal. It's just to bad that it hurts like hell._

_Two minutes after it was done._

"_Thanks Meganium." Ash said, still panting from the pain of the Synthesis. "And thanks for saving me guys." Ash said to his other three pokemon._

_Pikachu gave a happy "Pi!"_

_Charizard let out a roar, and Lucario simply said _"It was your orders master."

"_Yeah, I'm just grateful that our auras could reach each other at such a distance." Ash said and shivered at the thought at what would have happened if it hadn't worked._

"_But what do you say about that we turn these guys in to the police?"_

_His pokemon cheered in approval._

_Ash walked out of the room, Archie and his men wouldn't wake up in a long time. He then continued to walk down the little hallway until he came to what he thought was the room that you controlled the boat in. After Ash came Lucario and Pikachu, sitting on Ash's shoulder._

"_Lucario, can you sense some activity with you aura somewhere?" Ash asked his aura-pokemon._

_Lucario closed his eyes and concentrated on his surrounding. He then raised his ears and looked at Ash._

"Yes master, I can sense a great activity of humans and pokemon northwest of here._" Lucario said to its master._

"_Good." Ash said and took the steering wheel and turned the boat to Northwest, then he hit the `pedal to the metal´ and the boat took of with great speed._

_Ash walked back to the room and gathered his pokeballs and recalled Lucario and Meganium that had been guarding the Aqua members. Pikachu then jumped on his shoulder and Ash jumped on Charizard's back._

"_Let's go Charizard, before somebody sees us." With those words Charizard took of and flew out of the whole that it had made earlier._

_The police could see a Team Aquas boat come towards them with full speed. But they also noticed a giant red dragon and a man on the dragon fly out from the boat and disappear in the other direction._

"_Looks like we're done here Pikachu." Ash said to the little rodent._

"_Pikaa!" Pikachu cooed as Ash rubbed him behind its ears._

"_What are we gonna do know?" Ash asked his companion._

"_Pikachu!" the little rodent said._

_"To think of it, I've always wondered if the snowy mountains in Kanto has changed since I was there." Ash said to Pikachu._

_Charizard took the hint and started to head towards that direction._

_End of Flashback_

* * *

"Awesome!" Sarah said.

"Awesome?" Ash asked. "I don't find it particularly funny to get tortured and stabbed for two days."

"No your idiot, not that!" Sarah said annoyed. "I mean that you beat the evil guys and then returned to your exile and then came home as a hero!"

"Exile? Hero?" The trainer asked confused. "Since when did I go to exile and when did I became a hero?"

Sarah seemed to think for a while before she said.

"Well, the exile part maybe wasn't true. But you're still a hero!"

"Yeah, right." Ash said sarcastic.

"You are!" Sarah said.

"No."

"Yes!"

"No."

"Yes!!"

"No! I'm not a hero!" Ash almost yelled. "A hero hadn't ran away from his friends and loved ones, a hero had manage to save his mother from dying!"

Sarah didn't know what to answer on that statement. But she didn't like to see Ash torture himself inside of him.

"You ran away because you didn't have any choice." Sarah said after a while. "And it wasn't your fault that your mother died, sometimes we can't prevent things from happening, we can only put them behind us and move on."

Ash were taken back by her words

"Where did you learn to talk like that?" Ash asked in a shocked tone.

"The Absol King" The little girl said happily.

If it weren't because they were flying Ash would've fallen over anime-style.

"You got that from just a movie?" Ash asked with amusement.

"Not just a movie!" Sarah said angry. "It's one of the coolest movies on the planet! It's so romantic!" She added dreamily.

Ash just sweatdropped.

Ash then looked out towards the sea and spotted an island.

"There it is!" Ash yelled so Charizard, Pikachu and Sarah could hear.

"I can't wait for the shopping malls!" Sarah said with excitement.

"I swear, if you go so close or trying to drag me off to a mall I'll set you in the Pokemon Center Child Caring (PCCC).

Sarah's eyes grew huge.

"You wouldn't dare!" She then said.

"Pika?" Pikachu asked.

"Well Pi, PCCC is like a daycare center, but for humans instead of pokemon. You turn the child in there and they take care of them." Pikachu seemed to understand his masters explanation.

"You can't send me to the PCCC!" Sarah almost yelled. "They make you sing songs and tell others about you dreams!"

"As I said. If you're trying to drag me away to a mall I'll put you in there. But not if you behave." Ash said calmly.

"I'll be good, I promise!"

Suddenly they could feel Charizard go in for landing.

"Remember Sarah." Ash said as he pulled his hood over his head. "For now you'll call me Satoshi, not Ash."

"And you'll call me..." Sarah started.

"I'll call you Sarah." Ash said. Sarah pouted at his words.

Then Charizard landed.

**End of Chapter 6**

* * *

**This was a little shorter than the chapter before, but I don't think that you'll kill me for that.**

**Looks like Ash took down Team Magma, Aqua, Rocket and Galactic!**

**Don't forget to vote on Egoshipping or Orangeshipping!**

**R&R**

**I see you in the next chapter!  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**It's so fun to update! (almost)**

**Anyway, here's chapter 7 I hope you'll enjoy it!**

**Once again I have to remind you to choose if Tracey or Gary is going to hook up with Misty! (one vote per chapter) The current score is Gary: 3; Tracey: 4  
**

**If you feel like I've missed something you're welcome to tell me what and I'll do my best to fix it. Or I'll just plain ignore you ^^**

**I still need some OC's, I've got some from watts63 (thank you) but I need a little more.  
It's a rather simple, three to six pokemon, name, city, and appearance, it would also help if you gave him a battle command (Ash's first were: "I choose you!" I've changed it.)**

**R&R!**

**Enjoy the chapter!  
**

* * *

"Hi an welcome the Boon Island! I'm Rhonda Williams, broadcasting live from the harbor were we await the trainers!" Was a voice of a tall brunette in front of a video camera, out of view of the camera stood Jack, a fat sweaty man holding a microphone over the reporters head.

"We have been here waiting for several famous trainers," Rhonda continued. "We even got a comment from Wallace himself! I quote: `I'm looking forward for the competition.´!"

Even if that was everything Wallace had said to Rhonda she still seemed excited, she worshiped Wallace as a god.

"Wait a minute, isn't that May Maple and Dawn Berlitz!" Rhonda hurried over to the gang of youngsters that just had walked off the ferry.

"Hello! Miss Maple! Miss Berlitz! Mind if we have a word with you?" Rhonda yelled as she ran to them.

May and Dawn sighed, they really didn't want to do an interview, they thought in the beginning that it had been exciting and fun. But now they just felt like it was plain torture.

"Sure, why not?" May said and tried to sound excited, she had got herself together after the memory of Ash.

"That's great!" Rhonda said and looked towards Jack and the cameraman that had manage to catch up with her. "Are you here to compete?"

"No." Both Dawn and May stated.

"Then what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be training for the festival and..." Rhonda were cutoff as she felt someone grab her hands.

"My beautiful lady! Why do you waste time with reporting the news when the biggest story is right in front of you! Let's begin with our love sto..." Brock was cut short as he got a Poison Jab in his stomach by a blueish frog.

"I... Think... The... Story... Is … Postponed...." Brock said as he collapse on the ground and got dragged away by Croagunk.

"Well..." Rhonda said puzzled while the rest of the gang sweatdropped.

"We're here to cheer on my brother!" May said and made a gesture towards Max.

"Hey, I remember you!" Rhonda said as she got a closer look on Max.

"Really?" Max said full with pride.

"Yeah, you were with that trainer that tied up with May Maple in the Terracotta contest." Rhonda said as Max fell to the ground of shame.

"Now... what's his name, I've forgotten."

"It's Ash." Brock said as he tried to stop May from having another emotional breakdown.

"Don't remember." Rhonda said casually as she turned her attention towards Brock. "How did you get up so fast by the way?"

Brock didn't have time to respond before she spotted a tall woman with long blond hair.

"Oh my God! It's Cynthia!" Rhonda yelled as she ran towards the Sinnoh champion.

"Once again I lost my love!" Brock yelled to nobody special.

"Please Brock stop, people's looking at us." Tracey said as he tried to push Brock towards the hotel.

"Yeah, we don't want to get bad publicity for Max, right?" Gary said as he turned to Max.

But Max still lied on the ground and mumbled. "The shame, so hard..." Gary sweatdropped.

They continued to walk towards their hotel.

* * *

"But As... Satoshi." Sarah said as they walked towards the harbor.

Ash looked at the girl.

"Won't people recognize you? I mean, it isn't so many that have a Pikachu at their shoulder." Sarah stated as she tried to pet Pikachu, unfortunately she couldn't reach up to Ash's shoulder.

"Don't worry Sarah, I've thought about it." Ash said in his calm voice. "Pikachu return!"

With those word Pikachu turned himself towards Ash's backpack and unzipped it. Then he jumped in it and closed it from the inside and gave a "Pikapi!" in delight.

"Pikachu, don't you dare touch that food!" Ash said to his rodent.

He didn't get any respond from Pikachu and sighed.

"I see." Sarah said as she looked a little confused. "Why don't you just put Pikachu in his pokeball?"

"Because Pi doesn't like his pokeball. He thinks it's too weird to stay inside a little ball." Ash answered her.

"But He stays in the backpack!" Sarah shouted, it wasn't that she were angry, it was just that she wanted to win a argument against Ash for once.

"Well, the backpack is soft inside and he has access to food." Ash said. "And don't yell, you drawn attention to us, and you know what our agreement were."

"I won't! I promise!" Sarah shouted, terrified of the PCCC.

Ash facepalmed at Sarah's outburst, her outburst had given them a lot of attention.

"Is everything alright?" Asked a woman in police uniform.

"No officer Jenny, everything is fine. Right Sarah?" Ash asked the little girl.

"Yes officer Jenny!" Sarah said, but with a little hesitation.

"May I see your pokedex?" Jenny asked Ash.

"_Crap!_" Ash thought. _"If Jenny looks in my pokedex she maybe will say my name out loud and I can't risk that! Well, this will be painful, but I got to do it."_

"Well," Ash said as he moved towards the officer. "You can get my phone number instead." He said in a pretended perverted tone and closed his eyes for the impact.

Jenny seemed startled by being asked out in such way by a tall man in a cloak, she then got angry and kicked Ash... Well, I think you know where she kicked him.

"Pervert!" Jenny said as she made her way away from them before anyone decided to press charges against her for police brutality.

Ash laid on the ground and groaned in pain as he covered his crotch.

"That's was a very stupid thing to do Satoshi." Sarah said as she watched Ash as he laid on the ground.

"I h-had to do th-that." Ash coughed. "Otherwise we would've got to much of attention."

"I didn't talk about that." Sarah said as she looked at Ash. "I meant that it was very stupid to lay on you back."

With those words you could hear a "PikaCHUUU!!!"

Several yellow flashes came out from Ash as he laid and twitched on the ground.

After a moment Ash got up.

"Well, thanks Pikachu for making the pain equal in whole my body." Ash said sarcastic to his little rodent.

"Pika!" The moues squealed happily from the backpack.

"Never mind, let's just go to the hotel." Ash said as they began to walk.

After a couple of minutes they had gotten to the hotel. Ash walked in to the hotel and continued towards the disc, that was occupied by a nurse Joy.

"Nurse!" Ash said in a pretended cold hard voice.

Joy jumped slightly by the sound of the voice and looked up.

"y-yes? What can I do for you?"

"A room." Ash said in his still stern voice. Sarah looked confused at the tall trainer.

"Does room number 143 sounds good?" Nurse Joy asked with a hint of fear in her voice.

"Yes." Ash just said and took the key that Joy handed him.

"_What a strange day._" Nurse Joy thought. "_First I meet a guy that explains his eternal love for me and then got dragged away by two people and a pokemon. And now this!_" Nurse Joy shook her head and continued with her work.

"That was really unnecessary Ash!" Sarah said in a angry voice.

"Satoshi!" Ash said annoyed. "And I did what I had to do."

"You know, I think you take that `nobody can recognize me´ thing a bit to far! I mean, you've been gone for four years! I don't think they'll be able to recognize you even if you talked to them!"

"How do you know?"

"Professor Oak showed me pictures of you before we left, and you've changed a lot!" Sarah added with a blush.

Ash sighed at the girl behavior.

"Maybe you're right." He then said. "But I don't think that I can talk to them without having them recognize me."

"I dare you." Sarah said with a happy voice.

"What?"

"I dare you!"

"Dare me?" Ash asked puzzled.

"Yeah! You know, I dare you to talk to one of your friends."

"What do I get for it?"

"Nothing. Unless you want something." Sarah winked at him.

"I wonder when the PCCC closes?" Ash thought loud.

"I'll behave!"

"That's good to hear." Ash said as he heard Pikachu's snicker from his backpack.

"But seriously Satoshi, I dare you to go and talk to one of them, I promise they won't recognize you!"

Ash seemed to hesitate a little, but then he felt Pikachu poke him from the inside of the backpack and shout "Pika Pi!" encouraging.

"Fine! I'll do it then!" Ash said tiredly.

"Yay!" Sarah cheered.

"But I won't look them up, they have to come and talk to me." Ash said as he locked up the room that they were staying in.

"Fine!" Sarah pouted, that wasn't her idea of game at all.

They walked into the room and were astonished by the looks of it. The room didn't have a kitchen, but they had a cafeteria downstairs. It was two bedrooms and a living room, two bathrooms and a large balcony with view over the fields.

"Why couldn't we get one bedroom?" Sarah asked pouting again.

"Did you say you were eight?" Ash asked the little girl, she nodded happily.

"The room's perfect," Ash said as he walked in and dropped the backpack on the floor. "Pikachu you can come out now."

The little mouse pokemon crawled out of the backpack and got a good look on the room.

"So, what do you think?" Ash asked his pokemon.

"Pika!" Pikachu cheered.

"That's good buddy." Ash chuckled.

Ash walked out on the balcony followed by Sarah.

Ash watched out over the battle fields, everywhere there were trainers that battled against each other.

Ash watched a Flygon get beaten by a Wartortle. Ash stopped in his tracks as he saw that the owner of the Wartortle were no one other than May Maple, and the owner of the Flygon were Max Maple. Ash couldn't hear what they said but May had one hand on her hip and did some kind of waving with her forefinger. Max had his head lowered. Ash smiled at the sight that seemed to be like that May scolding Max for the way he had battled.

"What are you smiling at?" Sarah asked the black haired trainer, Ash had removed his hood once they entered the room.

"Nothing." Ash said. "Can't I just smile?"

"Yeah, but it's just that I've not seen you smile so often." Sarah said as she followed Ash's gaze.

"Who's the geek?" She said and refereed to Max.

Ash and Pikachu began to laugh so hard that he got looks from people down to the ground, that made him quickly drag in Sarah and Pikachu in the room again.

"The `geek´ were one of my traveling companions for a long time ago." Ash said as he smiled towards the little girl. "And the girl that he battled with were his sister."

"She's the girl that you had a crush on?!?" Sarah asked in suprise.

"What!?" Ash shouted in suprise.

"Professor Oak told me that you used to have a crush at a girl that you used to travel with, and that you also traveled with her little brother."

"Damn that old man." Ash mumbled under his breath.

"What?" Sarah asked.

"Never mind, let's go."

"You still have a crush on her?" Sarah asked innocently, she refused to leave until Ash had given her a answer.

"PCCC..." Ash just said with a threatening voice.

"I'll be good!"

"You've said that to many times." Ash sighed. "But never mind, come on."

"Where are we going?" Sarah asked.

"We're going to listen to Mr. Charles Goodshow talk in front of the trainers tonight." Ash said, it was eight o'clock in the evening.

"But I don't want to listen to a old mans talk!" Sarah said bored.

"Well to bad, you decided to go with me even after I said that you'd probably have a much nicer time with Professor Oak. So, unless you don't want to get sent home or the PCCC you'll follow me and be quiet." Ash said as he gave the girl a stern look, but he chuckled inside.

"Can't I just stay here in the room?"

"Yeah, and then I get to look after you the whole night just because you couldn't stay here."

"Fine!" Sarah said grumpily as she walked after Ash.

They soon arrived at a tall building, when they walked inside it they were astounded by the sight of hundreds and hundreds of trainers, all of them looked up towards the podium on the scene.

Ash saw that many of the trainers were slight nervous, meanwhile others were calm and others were full of self confidence.

* * *

"Sorry guys, but you can't come in with me. You have to watch from the stands." The voice belonged to a kid named Max Maple as he dismissed Brock, May, Misty, Gary and Tracey.

"Okay Max, don't get in trouble." His sister told him.

"Don't worry sis, you know I won't!"

With those words the group leaved and Max walked towards Ash and Sarah.

"_should I or should I not?_" Sarah thought. "_Should I or should I not? Should I or should I not? Ah too late!_"

Sarah then, to Ash's fear, walked towards Max and said.

"Hi, I'm sorry, but didn't you compete in the Hoenn League?" Sarah asked Max.

"Yes I did!" Max boasted as he punched with his fist in the air, causing Ash to raise one of his eyebrows, was Sarah really going to pretend like she knew who Max was with the little information Ash had given her.

"You were so cool!" Sarah continued and pretended really good like sounding like a fan-girl. "Was it really hard to come to the top 16?"

"Well... It took some time but with the great teamwork with my pokemon and skills we got there!" Max said, Ash would've wanted to ask Pikachu if he also behaved like that when he was around that age. It was just too bad that Pikachu had `returned´ to Ash's backpack, but he heard some low snickering noises from it.

"What did you think of my choice as last pokemon?" Max asked the little girl.

Sarah looked a little afraid, Ash hadn't told her about what pokemon he had used.

"Well... I... Think... That... umm..." Sarah began slowly. "Good?"

Max was about to respond until Ash thought it was time to save Sarah from humiliation.

"Sarah?! Where are you?" The hooded Ash called out. "There you are! What did I say about run away from me?"

"Sorry A... Satoshi." Sarah said and played along.

"Who's this?" Max asked and looked at the hooded man.

"This is Satoshi, he's my..." Sarah began.

"Brother." Ash cut in, he wasn't sure of what Sarah was going to say, but he didn't wanted to be classed as a pervert. Sarah had a little disappointed look but shrugged it off.

"So, Satoshi." Max began. "I'm Max Maple." He said and offered Ash an handshake, Ash took it.

"_Revenge time._" Ash thought as he shook Max's hand.

"Hey, I remember you."Ash started "You competed in the Hoenn league." Max looked full of pride.

"You lost in the second round after the preliminary rounds!" Ash said, "_Revenge isn't always sweet, but this time it is!_"

"It was the battle of the top 16!" Max said, he had been taken down to earth sooner than he wanted.

"If you say so," Ash just shrugged it off. "pay attention, Mr. Goodshow is about to speak."

A fat man with beard walked up to the podium, he had some strange kind of blue cap in his face, he reminded of Santa Claus on a summer vacation.

Charles Goodshow took a deep breath before he started.

"I would like to greet you all welcome here to the Top Battle Competition Tournament!!" The spectators cheered.

"I will explain some things for those who hadn't the time to check up everything.

We have finally counted the registrations."

Ash had registered as he checked into the hotel room.

"And we can say that we never have had so many aspiring trainers before!" The public cheered again.

"As you know, the tournament is held every twentieth year." Charles now took a deep breath.

"Then it's my honor to give you the former tournament winner and title defender... Cynthia!!"

The crowd cheered and Ash almost yelled out "She's over 30?!?" He could hear Brock shout it out from the stands.

Cynthia walked up to the podium, slightly annoyed that Goodshow had given the spectators that information.

"Thanks you Charles." Cynthia said. "I'll cut it short. We have reached the number of exactly 1024 competitors."

Ash suspected that some of the beginning trainers confirmation somehow had gotten `lost´ on the way here, there was no way that they would've exactly 1024 competitors, but Ash decided to not say anything.

"That means each trainer will battle exactly four matches each until we come into the elimination rounds, as you already know it's impossible to face another trainer from your region until the preliminary rounds.

It's allowed to battle on the training fields, but if you have a pokemon battle with a opponent outside the battle field you'll be taken under close surveillance, and if the judges decides that you'll be disqualified you'll go without complains."

The trainers listened intently at the Sinnoh Champion, they tried to stick to each word she said.

Ash glanced at Max and saw him watch the champion with open eyes of amazement.

"The battles will all start at the same time. The preliminary rounds will only allow the competing two trainers and six of their pokemon, the judges and a few of the trainers friends that they chooses to bring with."

Sarah glanced at Ash at those words, Ash gave her a look that looked like `If you behave´. Sarah nodded her head and turned to Cynthia, she still thought she could sneak in and watch the battle, she had done it here after all, Ash didn't care if she was allowed to stand with him or not, he wouldn't let her out of sight.

"The battles will begin tomorrow at nine O'clock at the morning. If a trainer doesn't shows up he'll be disqualified. The trainer has to register six pokemon each to bring with them. If a trainer should use a pokemon that he hasn't used he'll be disqualified. The trainers can choose if they want a battle with one, two or three pokemon at the same time. At the elimination rounds and up there will be one on one battles.

After the preliminary rounds there will be some kind of party for the trainers that made it trough and their friends.

The elimination matches will be battled 64 to 32 the first day, 32 to 16 the other day. We'll continue like that until it comes to eight competitors left. Then we'll battle one match each day, that will give us 7 days until it's over with that.

Any questions?" Cynthia asked the spectators.

Ash frowned, who'll be stupid enough to yell something out in the middle of the...

"Do you have a boyfriend?!?"

Ash fell down anime-style, together with a lot of other people. The rest of the spectators just looked strange at the former Pewter City gym leader.

"Ops, never mind then!" They heard Brock shout as he tried to hide behind Misty, getting angry glares from Gary and Tracey.

"Well, I'm going to ignore that question and wish you all good luck in the tournament!" Cynthia said as the public started to cheer.

Ash grabbed Sarah by the arm and led her out from the big building before they had more uncomfortable meetings with his former friends.

"Hey! Satoshi! Slow down!" Sarah yelled as she tried to break Ash's speed, she didn't succeed.

"The faster we comes to the room the better." Ash said to Sarah. "And I'm very disappointed at you for disobeying my orders."

"`disobeying my orders´? Come on Satoshi, it was just fun!" Sarah said as she giggled.

"Fun for you maybe, next time you do that I swear that I'll put you in the PCCC!"

"Yeah right, like you would dare that. Come on Satoshi, you have threatened with it too many times. I know you won't do it!" Sarah said happily as she skipped away from Ash towards the hotel room.

"We'll see about that." Ash said as he walked after Sarah.

* * *

"Well Brock, you certain knows how to get attention from the ladies, you just asked the TBC champion if she had a boyfriend in front of the whole island!" Misty said happily as the group walked towards their hotel.

"I'm so ashamed!" Brock screamed out towards the air.

"Don't take it so hard Brock, I'm sure Tracey would've done the same." Gary said as he patted Brock on the back.

"Hey?! What's that suppose to mean?" Tracey said to Gary with a glare.

"Nothing, just that..."

"Can't you guys stop fighting for once?! Geez, you're fighting even more than Max and me! I don't think Misty will get impressed by the one who can insult the other better!" May almost yelled to the boys.

Gary and Tracey blushed at her words but continued to glare at each other.

"Well, I don't think that this tournament will be so hard!" Max said confident once again.

Everyone sweatdropped at his words.

"Max, you do know that you'll be against some of the strongest trainers in the world?" Dawn asked the young trainer.

"Yeah yeah," Max said dismissively. "I'll just beat the once I meet and if I meet someone who's maybe better than me and is a girl I just sends Brock at her."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Brock said and began sulking.

Max didn't have time to respond until a shout was heard.

"Why are you late?!?" The group sighed at the voice of their parents.

"The information was supposed to have ended 15 minutes ago, why are you late?" Caroline said angry.

"Chill out mum." May said, "We were only out for a walk."

"Well, that walk made us worry to death!" Johanna said.

"Why are you so overprotective all the time?" Max groaned.

"We're just trying to look after you so you won't get in trouble." Flint said in his calm voice.

"Dad! I'm 22 years old! Don't you think I can take care of myself?" Brock asked annoyed. He was getting tired at his parents nagging.

"Is it wrong to want to be careful of your children?" Lola asked with her cheerful, yet threatening voice.

"No..." Brock sighed, he had this conversation with them before, he always lost. They would always pull of with `We just want your best´ or `Is it wrong to love your children?´.

"Never mind, let's go back to the hotel." Tracey said. Even if it weren't their parents both Misty, Tracey and Gary felt like they were the ones being scold to.

They walked towards the entrance.

* * *

"Satoshi!" Sarah yelled. "My shoelace has gone up!"

"What do you want me to do about it?" A tired Ash asked. "Eat it?"

"No silly!" Sarah said giggling. "Tie it!"

"Sarah, you're eight years old. I know you can tie your shoes." Ash said and was getting more and more tired.

"Fine!" Sarah said as she started to tie it.

"Done!" She said after 20 seconds.

They were about to walk up to their room until they heard the door to the entrance open.

When Ash heard the voice of Dawn and Max he quickly began to push Sarah up the stairs.

Ash stopped dead as he heard the voice of Caroline and Norman, he turned around with his fists clenched and hood pulled over.

Sarah understood what Ash had reacted on.

She grabbed Ash as he tried to move forward the parents and give them a nice `gift´.

"Please Ash." Sarah whispered. "Don't fight. You won't gain anything of fighting them."

Ash didn't seem to listen at her words, but she felt him relax so she was able to drag him up the stairs.

"What's the matter May?" Norman asked his sixteen year old daughter.

"I don't know, suddenly I got a strange feeling." May said uncertain. She then shrugged it off and went to her, Misty and Dawn's room.

Brock, Max, Gary and Tracey went to theirs.

As soon as the girls were out of sight Gary and Tracey began chatting with each other like they were best friends again.

* * *

In Sarah and Ash's room Ash had forced Sarah to go to her room. She kept trying to convince Ash to tell her a bedtime story or sing a song for her, but Ash dismissed her requests and she went muttering to bed.

"Well Pi, looks like it begins tomorrow." Ash said to his faithful companion.

"Pika." Pikachu said quietly.

"Are we gonna hold back on them?" Ash asked and were referring towards his opponents.

Pikachu shook his head and sparkled with his cheeks.

"That's my buddy." Ash said chuckling.

"Cya tomorrow Pi." Ash said as he closed his eyes.

"Pi." Pikachu answered.

"_This is going to be really interesting..._" Ash thought before he fell asleep.

**End of Chapter 7**

* * *

**In the next chapter the battles are about to begin, if you didn't get what I meant with the rules and order of the battles you can always ask me!**

**Another reminder, don't forget to vote on who's going to end up with Misty!**

**With Ash's `revenge´ against Max I was referring at the first time they met and Max mocked Ash that he had lost in the Jotho League.**

**R&R (Why do they say Read & Review in the end of the story? Haven't you already read the chapter?)  
**

**You think it was strange that Jenny kicked Ash? Let's say that she got tired of having guys flirting with her all the time *cough Brock cough***

**(You can also give me a character, or a own OC that Brock's going to end with.)**

**See you in the next chapter!  
**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello my fellow readers!**

**Chapter 8 is here, just after some days! This story really goes fast.**

**I would first like to thank you for sending in OC's to my story, but would you please just do it by mail and not review? I know I would've said that along time ago, but I didn't know I was going to get that many, I would still appreciate if you continued to send me OC's!  
NOTE: I can and I WILL change their appearance, I hope you understand that you just give them to me to give me ideas. If I were about to do exactly as you wanted I would need to to the story ten times longer just to put in their stories so they fitted.  
**

**Another reminder, don't forget to vote if Tracey or Gary is going to end up with Misty! (One vote per chapter) The current state is now: Tracey: 5; Gary: 5!!**

**I'm planning to do the chapter during the tournaments, like one chapter for one day in the story.**

**Don't forget to Read and Review!**

**Enjoy the chapter!  
**

* * *

Ash woke up early on the morning by some screaming and knocking noises.

"What the hell is it?" Ash yelled to nobody special, Pikachu also woke up.

"Ash! Lock up this door now!" The voice from the eight year old girl Sarah yelled.

"Yeah yeah, I'm coming."

Ash got up from his bed and put on a black sweater and his jeans and tied his black colored sash around his head, Pikachu jumped up on his shoulder after it had rubbed the tiredness out of its little eyes.

Ash walked to Sarah's door and put the key into the keyhole and locked it up.

A very angry little girl was standing in front off him.

"Why did you lock the door?" She yelled at the trainer.

Ash stood there silent and watched the young girl before he said.

"Two reasons. One, I didn't want you to run away somewhere last night. Two, I wanted to sleep in peace and I didn't want to get disturbed by you."

Sarah looked angry at him before she said.

"Why can't you just be nice to me?" And tried to make fake tears.

Ash had lived with Gliscor for so long that he could see through Sarah's scam.

"What happened to the nice shy girl that I met for a couple of days ago?" Ash thought out loud and sighed.

"She disappeared when you started to behave like a asshole!" Sarah pouted.

"So she disappeared four years ago?" Ash asked smirking.

Sarah didn't know what to answer at that question so she just turned away.

"Let's go and get something to eat." Ash told the little girl.

"Liar..." Sarah muttered under her breath.

"What?" Ash asked the black haired girl.

"I called you an liar!" Sarah said.

Ash was getting more and more annoyed at the girl for every second.

"Sarah, I've never lied to you."

"Maybe not to me. But you've lied to your friends!"

"No, I haven't." Ash said with a simple voice, he thought he knew where this conversation were heading to.

"But you said that your name was Satoshi and not Ash!" Sarah declared and thought that she had won the argument.

"Yeah, but neither they and you know that my full name is Ash Satoshi Ketchum." Ash told the girl with a smile.

"That's dumb!" Sarah said as she began to run towards the cafeteria.

Ash sighed and said. "Return." to Pikachu. After the little rodent had jumped down in his backpack he walked after Sarah.

When Ash came to the cafeteria he saw that the little girl already had got her food and table. Ash got in line, people gave him strange looks as he had his hood pulled over his head, and got his food. Then he walked to Sarah's table and sat in front of her.

Sarah looked at Ash's food with a disgusted look.

"What?" Ash gave her a questioned look.

"Are you really going to eat that?!" Sarah asked a made a disgusted grimace and pointed at his food.

Ash looked down at his five sandwiches with Mankey-ham on them.

"What's wrong with that?" Ash asked puzzled.

"It's MEAT!" Sarah said in a loud voice.

"So what?" Ash asked the little girl.

"I can't believe you're eating the pokemon that you're battling with!" Sarah scolded Ash.

Ash remained unaffected.

"Sarah, it's okay to eat meat. It's the circle of life." Ash looked into the girls eyes. "Pokemon eats pokemon and humans. We eat pokemon, just accept it."

Sarah got a afraid look on her face.

"You... you mean Pikachu will eat me?!"

Ash sweatdropped.

"No Sarah, Pi belongs to the mouse class, they won't eat meat. They're happy with fruit or bread." With those words Ash slipped down a bit of bread in his backpack and got a silent squeal as thanks. "Pikachu knows that I'm eating meat and he has accepted it. But if you want to be a vegetarian it's your choice. Just don't try to change my habits."

With those words Ash continued to eat his food. Sarah looked like she was about to say something but regretted her and also ate her food.

They ate in silence until Sarah once again spoke up.

"Do you know who you're gonna battle?"

"No. I could try to figure it out, but it isn't worth it." He ate the last bite of his sandwich and swallow it. "Besides I think it's funnier to not know who I'm up against."

Sarah nodded and walked to leave her plate with Ash right behind her with his.

"Come on Sarah, let's go to the field I'm going to battle at."

"OK!" Sarah said as she started to run.

"Hey! I never said where it was!" Ash yelled as he ran after her. "_Great, I'm this close to send her to the PCCC, but I have to admit that I enjoy her company... sometimes._" Ash thought as he ran after her.

Sarah hadn't time to run for long until she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see Ash stand there, giving her a annoyed look.

"Why do you have to run?" Ash asked with a stern voice.

"Pika, Pikachu Pi!" Came from Ash's backpack.

"Hey! I didn't behave like that!" Ash said to his companion.

Sarah giggled at the two males words and asked then.

"Can you show me where we're going then?" She tried to sound like she was sorry for dragging away Ash for such a long distance, she didn't mean a thing.

"Well," Ash began as he believed her voice. "it's about two hundred meters that way." And pointed at a tall building.

"That's you battleground?" Sarah asked with huge eyes.

"No." Ash chuckled. "That's the place where the finals are going to be held, my field is the building behind that."

They walked passed the big building and came to a small building that looked like a gym from the outside.

"Let's go in." Ash said as he made his way through, it was ten minutes before the match were about to start.

They walked into the building, Ash spotted a field with sand foundation, it was plenty of room to move, but if you take a to heavy pokemon it might stuck.

Ash then looked over at his opponent, he could see that the kid was around 15 years old, he had long straight back hair that was hanging over his eyes, his eyes were dark black and he had a purple hood with jeans.

Ash thought that he looked a little reserved, but his thoughts were quickly gone as he thought the huge sum off fans that the boy had, it was really many spectators on the boys side of the field.

"My name's Ricky White!" The boy yelled over to Ash. "I'm from Johto! What's your name?"

"My name's Satoshi and that's all you need to know for the moment!" Ash yelled back, Ricky's fans booed at him for those words but got silenced by the judge.

"Kick his ass Satoshi." Sarah whispered as she stood behind Ash.

"I will Sarah, but can you leave the field now?"

Sarah nodded and ran off the field.

"Are we gonna start or not?" Ash yelled over to the judge.

"Very well, this match is between the green corner and the red corner, have you chosen battle arrangement yet?" The judge asked Ash and Ricky.

"I'm fine with whatever he chooses." Ash said as he kept his look at Ricky.

"I choose a one on one battle!" Ricky said to the judge.

"Got it. This is a one on one battle between the green corner and the red corner, no substitutions is allowed and the first one that looses all of his pokemon looses the match and have lost the tournament!" The judges yelled as he raised his flags.

"Send out you first pokemon!"

"Charmeleon, I choose you!" Ricky yelled as he called out his pokemon.

"I can't resist." Ash said as he unattached a pokeball from his waist. "Charizard, battle stance!"

Ash's great Lizard came forth from its pokeball and gave a loud roar at his opponent.

Charmeleon looked like it hesitated first but stood up against Charizard.

"You have a brave pokemon." Ash said to Ricky.

"He's the strongest!" Ricky yelled back.

"Begin the match!" The judge yelled as he lowered his flags.

"Charmeleon, use Metal Claw!" Ricky yelled.

Charmeleon's right claw began to glow white as she charged towards Charizard.

"Charizard, grab that claw." Ash said calmly.

Charizard prepared for Charmeleon's impact as she came closer and closer.

Charmeleon swung her claw towards Charizard, but she got a big surprise as Charizard grabbed the claw like it was nothing.

"Impossible!" Ricky yelled. "Charmeleon, brake free and use Dig!"

Charmeleon pulled back from Charizard and dug under the ground.

"Charizard, instead of just stand there. Let's fly!"

With those words Charizard spread out his wings and took off.

Soon Charmeleon came up from the ground and took a great jump, but she looked confused when she saw the Charizard wasn't there.

"Charmeleon, look up!" Ricky yelled to his pokemon.

Charmeleon looked up at the right time and barley dodged the flamethrower that was fired at her.

"Fight fire with fire Charmeleon, Flamethrower!"

Charmeleon's mouth began to heat up as she shoot a jet of flames against Charizard.

"Charizard, Blast Burn!" Ash yelled to his pokemon.

"What?!" Ricky yelled. "What's Blast Burn?"

"You'll see." Ash said as he smirked.

Charizard sent a incredible strong flame at Charmeleon's Flamethrower that collided with hers attack.

The Blast Burn defeated easily the Flamethrower and began to close in on Charmeleon.

"No, Charmeleon dodge it!" Ricky screamed to his pokemon.

Charmeleon tried to move out of the way but it was too late, the second later she was hit by such incredible strength by that Blast Burn that she collapsed on the ground.

"Charmeleon is unable to battle, Charizard wins the battle!" The referee declared. "Green corner, please send out your next pokemon!"

"Kick his ass Ricky!" Yelled a girl that was at the podium to Ricky.

"Shut up! Satoshi is going to beat the shit out of him!" Came a voice from the eight year old girl.

"Red corner, please tell your spectator to behave herself!" The referee shouted at Ash.

"_Believe me, if I could I would._" Ash thought, but he didn't say anything.

"Let's see how you can handle this!" Ricky yelled. "Staryu, I choose you!"

Out of the ball came a star shaped pokemon with a red ruby in the middle.

"Hmm, looks like you have a type advantage." Ash said as he looked at the Staryu. "You think that you're safe now?"

"I know that you're going to be beaten!" Ricky yelled at Ash.

"Swift Staryu!"

Staryu began to spin and shoot out yellow stars towards Charizard.

"Charizard, you think you can take them head on?" Ash asked his pokemon, even if he knew the answer.

Charizard nodded in approval as he braced himself for the impact.

The stars hit its target, but it didn't do anything.

"No way!" Rick yelled shocked.

"Charizard, take flight towards Staryu." Ash commanded his pokemon.

Charizard spread out his wings and began fly towards the pokemon.

"_Wait for it..._" Ricky thought as he saw Charizard come towards Staryu.

When Charizard was to close to avoid Ricky yelled. "Staryu, Thunderbolt!"

"Not again!" Ash said for himself as he thought of a encounter with a certain trainer named Ruby from the Orange Islands.

Staryu began to spin fast as the electricity began charging up in its body, then it released its attack and got another direct hit on Charizard.

Charizard flinched a little but didn't slow down.

"Good Charizard. Now, Giga Impact!"

Charizard began to fly faster and faster and lower its head, then he smashed into Staryu with such a great force that he sent it flying into the wall at the other side.

"Staryu is unable to battle! Charizard wins another match!" The referee shouted. "The green corner, send out your last pokemon!"

Ricky looked at his pokemon, he then looked at Charizard, who weren't even panting. Ricky sighed as he turned to the judge and said.

"There's no need for any off my other pokemon to battle a fight that we can't win. I surrender!"

"The green corner has throw in the towel, the red corner is victorious!"

"Coward!" Shouted Sarah towards Ricky, "You should never stop fighting!"

"Sarah, shut up!" Ash yelled at her. "He did the right choice not wanting to hurt his pokemon anymore!"

Sarah looked bad, she then turned around and gave them a `humph´ noise.

"You did good Ricky," Ash yelled over to him. "You really surprised me with that Thunderbolt, isn't that right Charizard?" The Lizard nodded in approval.

"Thanks Satoshi, but I can't keep up with you, you'll go far in the tournament."

With those words Ricky leaved the field along with his spectators.

"Sarah I'm very disappointed in you." Ash said as they walked out from the field.

Sarah looked innocent.

"You can't yell at a trainer that have given in the match, he did it for his pokemons' best." Ash continued scold her.

"Yeah yeah, big deal." Sarah said as they walked towards the hotel.

Ash sighed as he let the subject drop, he knew that it wouldn't do any good.

They walked towards the hotel until Ash suddenly turned left.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Sarah shouted after him.

"I'm going to train, you'll stay in the hotel room."

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you will. Pikachu, look after her so she doesn't do anything stupid."

With those words Pikachu unzipped the backpack from the inside, jumped out, closed it and the began to push Sarah with his little head towards the hotel.

"Alright alright, sheese, I thought you were supposed to be cute and cuddly!"

She got a weak Thundershock for that comment.

Ash laughed at the sight of seeing the little mouse push the girl inside the hotel and up to their room.

"Poor Pikachu, she's not gonna stay inside the room." Ash said to himself as he began to walk towards the woods.

* * *

In the hotel room Sarah glared at Pikachu. Pikachu sweatdropped and rubbed the back off his head with his paw, he maybe had shocked Sarah too strong this time.

"Why can't I go out Pikachu?" Sarah finally said. "It's not like I'm going to do something stupid."

"Pikachu, pika pi kachu chu!" Pikachu said.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Pikachu, but I just hope that you weren't saying something like `Ash has told me to not let you out of the room´." Sarah said and glared once again at Pikachu.

Pikachu didn't say anything.

"Fine!" Sarah said as she started to walk around in the room.

She then got an idea and said to the little pokemon.

"Let's play while we wait for Ash Pikachu!"

Even if Pikachu had changed he still liked to play like a five year old, it was just that he didn't run around like a maniac when Ash was around.

"Pika!" It said happily.

"Great, let's play tag!" Sarah said as she poke Pikachu on the head. "Tag! You're it!"

She then started to run around in the room with a laughing Pikachu after her.

They continued to run around in the room until Sarah ran out on the balcony. When Pikachu came after her she quickly jumped in again and closed the door.

"Cya Pikachu!" Sarah said as she ran towards the main door.

"Pika! Pikachu pi!" Pikachu yelled angrily at Sarah through the glass door.

Sarah ran out in the hall towards the cafeteria, when she got close enough she began to walk instead.

She came out and saw the food, or vegetables in her case.

She was going to take some of them until she heard a voice.

"Hey! Isn't your name Sarah?"

Sarah stopped dead track when she heard the sound of the voice It belonged to the geek, alias Max.

"Umm, yeah!" Sarah said in her cheerful way, even if she didn't feel like that.

"Guess what Sarah, I won!" Max said as he punched with his fist in the air.

"Don't start boasting in front of people that you're not even know Max!" His elder sister scolded him.

"But I know her!" Max protested. "Right Sarah?"

"Yeah, we've met." Sarah said, getting her interest in the older girl.

"Well, are you're not gonna introduce you to your girlfriend then?" May asked with a teasing voice, a blue haired girl and three boys laughed at those words.

Sarah felt sick.

"She isn't my girlfriend!" Max yelled to his sister.

"Anyway, this is Dawn," He pointed at the blunette. "this is Tracey," He pointed to the guy with the hairband, "This is Gary," He pointed at the male brunette with the necklace, "This is Brock and this is Misty." Max said and made a gesture towards a man with strange formed eyes and a redhead.

"And this is my `genius´ to sister." Max said as he made a rude gesture at May.

Max got hit in the head for that sentence and dropped on the floor, Sarah giggled.

"Don't listen to him, he's just to full off himself due to his CLOSE victory!" May said to Max.

Max quickly got up and said. "Hey, it wasn't my fault that he was strong!"

"He had been a trainer at two years, you have been training for four years!" May said as she continued to tease her brother.

The other sighed at the siblings fight but Sarah giggled.

"What's so funny?" Max asked.

"Nothing, just that you almost got beaten by a trainer that had trained half as short time as you had." Sarah said innocently.

"So what?" Max asked annoyed. "It isn't like anyone did make through the first round easily, except the elites."

"My brother did!" Sarah said happily.

"Yeah right." Max said sarcastic. "Did he face a beginner trainer that just had one pokemon?"

"No." Sarah giggled. "He faced a trainer that had trained for five years."

Sarah took a pause to look at the frown at Max's face.

"And he still manage to beat two off his opponents pokemon with just one of his without even breaking a sweat! His opponent even surrendered!" Sarah said happily.

"Wow," Dawn said. "I would love to meat you brother, what's his name?"

"His name's Satoshi!" Sarah said proudly, even if he wasn't her brother.

"I'm sorry, I can't recognize the name." Dawn said to Sarah.

"Oh it's OK, he isn't the one who likes to drawn too much attention towards himself."

"So, you said that he knocked out his opponents pokemon with just one of his?" Max asked, he still had a hard time to believe in the girls story. "What pokemon did he use?"

"A Charizard, the strongest there is!" Sarah said with her cheerful voice.

"What moves did he..."

"Max! That's enough!" His sister told him again. "This isn't an interrogation, if you are so afraid that this trainer's gonna beat you you have to train harder instead of trying to get so much information off him as possible!"

"Yeah, like Max has a chance against Satoshi." Sarah said with another giggle.

"I would wipe the floor with him!" Max yelled.

"Calm down Max." Brock told him, he had joined the conversation. "Let's just find Satoshi and challenge him to a battle instead off boasting."

"You're right Brock!" Max said. "Let's go!"

Max started to run towards the exit until he got struck by a Thunderbolt.

The group looked around just to spot a angry and tired Pikachu, but it also looked worried, it thought that it had been Sarah that was on her way out.

"Pikachu!" Sarah yelled terrified.

"You know this Pikachu?" Tracey asked as the others were trying to wake Max up.

"Umm..." Sarah started, "_I can't let them know that it's Ash's Pikachu, then they maybe figures it out._", "It's mine Pikachu!" She said as she looked at Pikachu and begged in her head that it would work.

Pikachu looked at the girl for a few seconds, then he understood and jumped into her arms and said with a pretended delighted "Pika!"

"I see." Tracey said.

"Pikachu, I want you to meet some off my new friends." Sarah said to the little rodent.

"This is Tracey, Brock, Gary, Max, Misty, May and Dawn." She said and pointed at them.

"I think I recognize that Pikachu..." Brock started as he began to close up on Pikachu.

"Oh look!" Sarah said as she suddenly remembered something that Ash had told her. "Isn't that nurse Joy?"

With those words Brock ran to the disc and started to explain his internal love for Joy.

"Ah nurse Joy! By a sign of true love our hearts found each other. Now, let's make a miracle!"

And you know what happened next.

"I... Think... I... Should... Go... To... Church... More...." And then he got dragged away by a familiar blue frog-pokemon.

"Is he... Normal?" Sarah asked after a while.

"Well, he's Brock." May said to the little girl.

"I see..." Sarah said with hesitation as Pikachu snickered in her arms.

"So where are you from?" Dawn asked Sarah.

"We're from Pallet Town." Sarah said without thinking.

That got everybody's attention.

"Pallet Town you say?" Gary asked. "I'm supposed you know my grandfather professor Oak?"

"Yeah, I do." Sarah said, she didn't know if she should start lying or telling the truth.

"Do you... Do you know a trainer named Ash Ketchum?" May asked with a hesitation in her voice.

"Well..." Sarah began.

"We have heard off him." Came a loud, deep and clear voice from the door.

"Satoshi!" Sarah yelled as she ran up to him and hugged him.

Ash gave Pikachu a questioned look.

Pikachu silently began to mumble something that only Ash and Sarah heard, but only Ash understood.

"So you're Satoshi? The ace trainer?" Max came up and asked the raven haired boy.

"That would be me, yes."

"Sarah here said that you were from Pallet Town." Max began.

"I heard what she said and I know what you're going to ask me." Ash said.

"Yes, we are from Pallet Town. Yes, we have heard of Ash Ketchum, I've never battled him thought. We were on his mothers funeral, like everyone else in Pallet." Ash looked at the group.

"I remember you four from it." Ash said and were referring to Gary, Tracey, Misty and Brock. "But I can't remember that I saw you." He was referring to the others in the group.

"We didn't know about it, we should have gone but we never did and now he's gone and there's nothing we can do!" May said as she ran out of the center crying.

"May!" Max and the others yelled and began to run after her.

When it was only Sarah, Ash and Pikachu left Ash turned to Sarah.

"Go. To. The. Room. Not. A. Word..." Ash said in a very angry voice. "Pikachu, you go with her and guard the door, I'll be right back."

Sarah seemed to hesitate a little, but the she nodded and ran up the stairs towards their room, with Pikachu behind her.

Ash ran out from the door while he held his hood so it wouldn't blew down his head.

* * *

May continued to run until she stopped at a park. She dried her tears and looked up.

"_I don't know how long I can take this anymore?"_ She thought as the other got to her side.

"May, you can't just run away like that!" Brock said to her.

"I'm sorry." May said depressed.

"Please May, let's just go back to the hotel." Max said in a caring voice, he liked to tease his sister, but not when she was like this.

May nodded as they began to walk towards the center.

"You should just forget that loser." Came a spoiled voice from the bushes.

The group looked towards the source of the voice and spotted Drew.

"Get the hell out of here Drew!" Gary yelled at him.

"Nah, I just wanted to tell you that Paul won his first match easily. He's one step closer to win the tournament. To bad Ketchum wasn't here to see it."

With those words May broke down and cried, Dawn also started to sob and Misty got tears in her eyes.

The males of the group wanted to hurt Drew really bad, but they couldn't, they didn't like to use violence.

"Let's go." Brock said as they led the girls towards the hotel.

Drew felt really satisfied with himself, he wanted to give back for all the times that May and even Dawn had rejected his offers for dinner. He felt invincible with other words.

To bad for him that a hooded young man stood in the bushes, and his fists were clenched so forcefully that blood were coming out from his palms.

"Drew..." Said a cold voice loud.

Drew shivered by the sound of the voice and turned towards the sound of it.

"C... Can I he...help you?" He asked trembling.

"Yes you can, I want you to take one of your roses and shut it up your ass..." The voice said coldly and deadly.

"Who are you?!?" Drew shouted, the man in the hood stood just a few meters from him.

Ash pulled his hood away and showed his face. Drew backed away from the aggressiveness the face showed.

"Who are you?" Drew repeated.

"My name is Ash Ketchum." Ash said as he began to walk towards Drew. "And you've hurt my friends for the last time." His voice were so cold and deadly that it made Drew almost literally piss his pants.

"No... It can't be..." Drew began, Ash was now just a half meter away from him.

"I have a proposal to make Drew, but first I'm gonna teach you a lesson."

twenty minutes later Ash Ketchum walked away from the park. He looked at the little bleeding from his knuckles and wondered if it was going to be a scar.

"_Drew sure have... had hard teeth."_ Ash thought as he continued to walk towards the hotel.

After a time he finally got to the hotel, he walked up the stairs and entered the room. Ash got a bad conscience when he saw Pikachu still stand in front of the door, refusing to let him down once more.

Ash took Pikachu up at started to pet him softly, Pikachu cooed thankfully.

"What happened to your hand?" A tired but yet curious Sarah asked.

Ash didn't answer her question. "Thanks to you I had to make a really good friend of mine cry and let a jerk know who I'm really am." Ash said instead.

"I'm sorry." Sarah said, and this time she really meant it.

"You don't need to worry over the jerk part, he's not gonna say anything." Ash added with a smirk.

"What did you do to him?" Sarah asked a little afraid.

"I just convinced him to take the latest ferry back to Hoenn." Ash said innocently. Pikachu cheered.

"How did you do to `convince´ him?" Sarah asked sceptical.

"Shouldn't you go to bed now?"

With those words Ash started to push Sarah into her bedroom and locked the door after her.

"Hey!" Sarah shouted at him.

Ash ignored Sarah and made his way to his own bed.

"Are you ready for tomorrow Pi?" He asked his faithful companion.

"Pika!" Pikachu cheered.

"That's good, let's get some sleep now, we need to get rested before our next opponent, you can never know who it might be."

With those words Ash and his little rodent fell asleep.

**End of Chapter 8**

**

* * *

  
**

**I hope you don't think I was to harsh about Drew, but I think he got what he deserved. **

**I can say right now that it's the last you've seen from Drew in this story, Ash was very... convincing.**

**Don't forget to vote on Gary or Tracey!**

**Also, don't forget to give me OC's (Remember that I can change them if I think that you've made them to good, bad, strong, weak and so on.)**

**I see you in the next chapter!**

**R&R please!  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**Here's chapter 9!**

**This chapter will be with Ash and not with the rest of the gang, it will also be a little questshipping in it... (?)**

**Once again I'll remind you to choose who's going to end up with Misty! Current stats: Tracey: 8; Gary: 6; (One vote per chapter)**

**Feel free to send me some OC's via MAIL not reviews. The OC's should have: Name, pokemon (six max and three least), appearance, battle call, and personality (like: stubborn, selfish, arrogant and so on)**

**Enjoy the chapter!  
**

* * *

"NOOOO! PLEASE!"

People turned to the source of the noise only to see a tall man in cape and a black hood over his head drag behind him a little girl with black hair.

"Please Satoshi!" Sarah screamed as she tried to get away from Ash's grip. "I'll behave me! Give me one more chance!"

"No!" Ash said with his cold stern voice. "I have been given you too many chances now. You're going to the PCCC, no objections!"

"I hate you!"

"Yeah yeah."

They continued to walk, or be dragged for about 300 meters, then they arrived at a building that were very similar to a pokemon center, but a little bigger.

They walked into the entrance and spotted a pink haired girl at an desc.

"Nurse Joy..." Ash began.

"No no." The pink haired girl said. "My name's not nurse Joy, it's childminder Joy!"

"Okay..." Ash said with hesitation. "Anyway. Can you take care of this `so called´ girl?"

With those words Ash lifted up Sarah and put her on the disc.

"Such a cute little girl!" Childminder Joy squealed.

"Yeah right..." Ash said too himself, Pikachu started to snicker inside his backpack.

"How long can you keep her here?"

"We can take care of her as long as you want!" Childminder Joy said in her cheerful voice.

"Really?" Ash said with his voice full with hope.

"You wouldn't dare Satoshi!" Sarah yelled at him.

Ash sighed before he asked. "Is it okay if I pick her up after dinner?"

"Sure!" Joy said happily. "And if you wouldn't be able to make it in time we have a very nice group of children that she can join and talk about her future plans with!"

Ash got a wide grin at his lips.

"Please Satoshi, do you really want to do this to me?" Sarah said as she tried to make fake tears.

"Yes." Ash said as he turned around and walked out from the building.

"Satoshi!" Sarah screamed after him. "Go to hell!"

"Oh my," Childminder Joy said to the little girl. "Such temper we got!"

"You have no idea..." Sarah said between her teeth.

"Well, I think I know what can cheer you up!" Joy said as she took the girl in her arms. "You just came in time to sing songs with the rest of the group!"

"NOOO!" Sarah screamed as she struggled to escape from the `maniacs´ grip, it was no use.

Ash walked towards his field. He looked around and saw that it wasn't any persons close.

"Pi," He then said. "It's OK to come out."

After those words the little rodent unzipped his backpack and jumped up to Ash's right shoulder and began to rub its cheek against his.

"Pika!" It cooed as Ash chuckled slightly.

"That's good buddy." Ash said as he scratched his pokemon behind its ears.

They walked up towards the building that the field was supposed to be in and entered. Ash still had his hood up, you could never be to sure who he was up to face.

He spotted his opponent and registered his appearance in his mind. The young man looked to be around the age of 25, he had a black cap backwards on his head with a bit off long purple hair sticking out in front of it.

He also had a red sweater with a white hood, he had yellow shorts.

Ash recognized the trainer, but he couldn't remember from where.

"Take off you hood!" The trainer shouted at Ash. "I want to see who I'm supposed to battle!"

Ash didn't see any risk with doing that so he simply pulled the hood down.

"Well, that wasn't so bad was it?" The trainer mocked him.

"May I ask for your name?" Ash asked with a stern voice, but deep inside he started to like the trainer, He reminded him of... him.

"My name is Jimmy Gold, and I'm from New Bark Town, Johto. You?"

"Satoshi, Pallet Town, Kanto." Ash said simply.

"Well then Satoshi, I've entered this tournament and I'm not going to loose!" Jimmy yelled to him over the field.

"I didn't enter this tournament purposely, but I still have no intentions to loose!" Ash yelled back, Scott had told him that he had signed up Ash before the letter even had reached Ash.

Ash looked at the surroundings, the only persons here were Jimmy, Ash and the referee, that's how Ash preferred it.

"Should we begin?" Ash asked Jimmy.

"Yes we can, you may choose the battle rules."

"I've always wanted to try a full three on three battle!" Ash yelled to Jimmy.

"Yeah, that sounds fun!" Jimmy yelled back.

"This is a battle between the red corner and the green corner, it will be a three on three battle with three pokemon each to use, the battle will be over when all of the other trainers pokemon are unable to battle!" The referee yelled. "Red corner, send out your first pokemon!"

"No, let me!" Jimmy yelled to the referee, the referee looked puzzled at Jimmy before he nodded.

"I'm gonna show you all of my pokemon!" Jimmy yelled as he threw three pokeballs in the air.

Out of the first pokeball came a big volcano-pokemon.

"Phloison!" Typhlosion roared.

The second ball revealed a overgrown bee. It made a buzzing noise as Beedrill was summoned.

The third ball revealed a huge metallic bird.

"Skar!" Skarmory shouted as it approached.

"Impressive pokemon." Ash said as he scanned them with his gaze. "But your impatience will be your lost!"

With those words Ash unattached two balls from his belt and threw them up in the air.

"Donphan, Charizard, Pikachu, prepare to battle!"

Pikachu jumped down from Ash's shoulder and Charizard and Donphan emerged from their pokeballs.

"Begin the match!" The referee shouted.

"They look rather strong guys, we better not underestimate them!" Jimmy shouted to his pokemon, they nodded in agreement.

"Let's not go easy on them!" Ash ordered his pokemon.

"Pi, jump up on Charizard and take to the air, Donphan you use Roll Out!" Ash called

"Typhlosion, counter the Roll Out with Flame Wheel and Beedrill and Skarmory take down the Charizard with Pin Missile and Swift!" Jimmy shouted to his pokemon.

Skarmory and Beedrill began fire attacks towards Charizard and Pikachu, but Charizard just countered the Swift with Flamethrower and ignored the damage that the Pin Missile caused him.

Typhlosion made himself to a ball of fire and began to roll towards the already rolling Donphan, their attacks collided together and it was a even match.

"I see that you've trained your Typhlosion very well!" Ash shouted over to Jimmy. "But if Donphan had gotten his speed up it would've been a different story!"

"And yet he didn't!" Jimmy shouted back. "Beedrill, Brick Break on Charizard, and you use Steel Wing Skarmory!"

"Counter the Brick Break with Slash Charizard, and Pikachu counter the Steel Wing with Iron Tail! Donphan, you use Take Down on the Typhlosion!" Ash yelled to his pokemon.

"Dodge the Take Down Typhlosion!"

Pikachu and Skarmory clashed with the wing and tail glowing white, Typhlosion dodged the Take Down barley. But Charizard's Slash broke through Beedrill's defense and sent it flying towards the ground.

Beedrill slammed the ground with a great force and didn't get up.

"Beedrill is unable to battle!" The referee shouted.

"Beedrill return, you did great." Jimmy said kindly to his pokemon. "Don't let it take us down guys, Typhlosion Flamethrower on the Pikachu and Skarmory Metal Sound on the Charizard!"

"Donphan, cover Pikachu, and Charizard dodge the Metal Sound!" Ash called.

Donphan charged forward and took the attack head-on as he covered Pikachu that had landed to the ground. But Charizard didn't have time to avoid the Metal Sound that were sent towards him, he began to twitch in the air as he was forced to land.

"Pikachu, pay them back with Thunderbolt and Charizard Flamethrower at Skarmory, Donphan you use Hyper Beam at Typhlosion!"

"Skarmory get out of there and Typhlosion you dodge also!" Jimmy yelled to his pokemon.

Typhlosion dodged the Hyper Beam and Skarmory was able to dodge the Flamethrower, but then she got hit by the Thunderbolt and began to fall to the ground.

"Skarmory! Straight yourself up!" Jimmy yelled to his pokemon, Skarmory straightened up and began fly towards Donphan. "Great! Now use Swift on Donphan, Typhlosion you use Focus Punch on that elephant!"

"Charizard and Pikachu! Cover Donphan with Iron Tail and Giga Impact!" Ash yelled to his pokemon.

Charizard and Pikachu were running towards Donphan. Donphan couldn't move due to the Hyper Beam and could only wait on the results.

Skarmory shoot out a huge amount of stars towards Donphan as Typhlosion's right fist began to glow bright white as he charged towards Donphan.

The Swift attack didn't make so much damage at Donphan but when the Focus Punch struck him he flew away for a few meters.

"Donphan!" Ash yelled. "Pi, Charizard, release your attacks!"

Pikachu struck Skarmory with his white glowing tail on its head and Charizard made contact with Typhlosion with a great force.

Donphan stood there and panted heavily as Pikachu and Charizard came up to his side, they glared at the other two remaining pokemon at the other side. Skarmory was standing on the ground and panted heavily and Typhlosion stood his ground and showed no intentions of back down.

"Skarmory, use Agility!" Jimmy ordered.

But Skarmory just stood there for a couple of seconds until she fainted on the spot.

"Skarmory is unable to battle!"

"Return Skarmory, you did great." Jimmy said as he recalled his pokemon. "Typhlosion, it's all up to us!" His pokemon roared in agreement.

"You have one gutsy pokemon there Jimmy, I give you that." Ash said to his opponent.

"Thanks Satoshi, your pokemon are pretty strong also!" Jimmy yelled back. "But we're not going to back down! Typhlosion, use Flamethrower at them!"

"Counter with Flamethrower and cover up with a Thunderbolt and another Hyper Beam!" Ash called out, he wanted to finish this as soon as possible.

The two fire attacks collided and were even matched, but then came a big amount of energy and electricity towards Typhlosion, both attacks made impact.

Typhlosion was slung towards the wall at the other side of the field.

"Typhlosion!" Jimmy yelled as he ran towards his pokemon.

"Typhlosion is unable to battle. The red corner wins the match!" Shouted the referee.

"Good job guys!" Ash said as he patted Charizard, Pikachu and Donphan. "Now take a good rest you two."

Ash recalled Donphan and Charizard and made a gesture that Pikachu should jump up on his shoulder, the rodent obeyed him.

Ash looked over to Jimmy, he had recalled Typhlosion and was now down on his knees and looked really depressed, Ash deiced to go and talk to him.

"Hey," Ash said as he looked down on Jimmy. "I know that loosing sucks, but isn't that a little overreacted?"

Jimmy looked at him and just said. "You wouldn't understand, nobody can understand my problem."

"I don't think your problem may be worse than mine." Ash said in a low voice.

Jimmy looked up to him and said. "Yeah right. You wanna bet?"

"What's the stake?" Ash smiled.

"The one who has the biggest problem gets a drink from the other." Jimmy said.

"Sorry man, I'm just seventeen." Ash said sheepishly.

Jimmy looked at him.

"Are you sure?" He then said.

"Positive." Ash just said. "But I can get you money to buy yourself a drink." He added.

"Sounds good to me." Jimmy said as he got himself up. "Let's go to the bar!"

"At one O'clock in the afternoon?" Ash asked sceptically.

"Well, unless you have a better decision you'll follow me!" Jimmy said happily as he made his way towards the exit. Ash shook his head as he ran after Jimmy.

Under their walk towards the bar nobody said a word, both were in their thoughts if they should or shouldn't tell the other the whole story.

A couple of minutes later they sat at a table, Ash had a cola and Jimmy had a beer in his hand. Pikachu licked the milk from a little cup.

"So..." Ash started. "Who's going to begin?"

"I can. But you better not exaggerate your story!" Jimmy said threatening, even after their battle he still was competitive.

"Don't worry, I won't." Ash reassured him.

Jimmy took a deep breath before he began with his story.

"A year ago, I had a perfect life. A loving girlfriend, faithful pokemon, a good career and many other things that would make a man considered happy.

But when I came home from my training with my pokemon my girlfriend had news for me. She was pregnant!"

If it had been four years ago Ash just would've said `congratulations!´ or something like that, but he knew now what a kid could do to peoples dreams and careers. So Ash just gave him a nod that meant that he should continue.

Jimmy sighed. "I was stunned, I never thought that it was going to happen to me. I considered myself as indestructible and thought that I could live my life as I wanted. You get what I mean?"

Ash nodded again, that was just what he had thought before his mothers death.

"I ran." Jimmy then said. "I ran away from her as she stood there. I was going to come back, but I needed some time alone.

I ran to a lake, then I sat down and started to think, suddenly I thought, _I'm 24 years old, perhaps it's time to settle down._ Then I started to think about all the fun we could have with a kid, like a real family you know. So I decided to walk back to the house.

When I came back the worst thing happened, she wasn't there. But her mother was. Her mother told me that I shouldn't come near her daughter, that she had called her and cried and told her how I ran away. I explained to her how it really was and she just glared at me and sent out her bloody pokemon to remove me from my own house!"

Jimmy screamed out the last words.

"What did you do next?" Ash asked the older trainer.

"I tried to talk to Marina, that's my girlfriend, or ex girlfriend should I rather say. She didn't want to let me explain, and her mother refused to let her out of sight.

That's why I came here, I somehow believed that if I won the tournament her mother would finally accept me and let me talk to her."

"I'm sorry to have kicked you out from the tournament." Ash said apologetic.

"Nah, it would've happened sooner or later, I was a fool believing that I could win the tournament."

Jimmy then said. "Well, that's my story. What do you got?"

"It's similar to yours, but at the same time it's not." Ash started.

"I also had a nice career, I had a great life, friends, a mother that loved me and I also believed that I didn't have a single problem in the world.

Then suddenly that day happened."

Ash took a deep breath as he continued. Jimmy listened intensely.

"My mother got killed by a gang of a organization called Team Rocket. But the worst part is that I just stood there, too afraid to do anything. She got killed in front of my eyes!

And that still wasn't the worst part, a few days after her funeral some of my closest friends parents came. First I thought that they just should asked how I felt and if there were something that they could help me with. I had so wrong..."

"So what happened?" Jimmy asked, he had already selected the winner for their little competition.

"They blamed me for her death, saying that if I hadn't interfered with Team Rocket's plans my mother would still be alive, they also told me not to meet their children, my best friends, anymore.

My body had enough, I ran, I don't know how long I ran but after a while all my pokemon got up with me and said that they wanted to follow me. Then we started to take down the evil organizations one by one." Ash finished his story.

"Did you made it?" Jimmy asked after a while.

"Yeah, we first took down Team Rocket, then Magma, Galactic and Aqua."

"What are you doing here then?" Jimmy asked, shouldn't Satoshi be in touch with his friends when it was over?

"I'm here because I'm trying somehow take contact with my friends, but I'm a too big coward to face them. I'm afraid that they won't accept me and stuffs like that." Ash said depressed.

"I think you won mate." Jimmy said as he got ready to pay for their drinks.

"I always win." Ash said with a little smile.

"But don't think you're the only one that can't meet you past." Jimmy then added.

"Why's that?" Ash asked puzzled.

"Marina's here also, along with her mother. They are rooting for a guy named Vincent." Jimmy said, at the way he pronounced `Vincent´ you could hear that he wasn't so fond of the guy.

"Well, what are we waiting for then?" Ash said.

"What do you mean?" Jimmy asked.

"It's maybe too late for me to change my past, my mother will still be dead. But I can't allow a child miss its father just because her grandmother won't allow him to see the kid!" Ash made some sort of heroic post when he said that.

"I'm with you, but how are we going to do that?" Asked a hesitating Jimmy.

"First we need to go to the pokemon center, I need a special pokemon." Ash said as he made his way out of the bar.

* * *

Jimmy waited for Ash outside the center as Ash finally came out.

"Took you sure long time." Jimmy said to him.

"Never mind that, where are your girlfriend staying?"

"Not far from here, at an hotel a half kilometer from here." Jimmy said as he pointed towards the hotels direction.

"Well, let's go then!"

They walked through the town, Ash had his hood pulled over his head once again.

It was late out, it was getting darker for every hour. They passed a restaurant and from that Ash could hear a familiar voice.

"Oh yeah! I won another battle!" then he heard. "Max! Shut up!"

Ash chuckled at those words and Jimmy gave him a strange look, Ash decided that he didn't needed to explain.

They had arrived at the hotel.

"So..." Jimmy began. "What now?"

"Are you allowed to go inside?" Ash asked.

"No," Jimmy said angry. "that old witch gave them a picture on me!"

"I see." Ash said as he made his way towards the hotel.

"I'll call on you after a while!" Ash yelled to Jimmy. "Just wait here!"

"_If I get caught I'll probably get kicked out from the tournament... IF I get caught_" Ash thought with a smirk.

Ash walked into the entrance of the hotel and looked around. It looked just like his, a disc where you check in, some chairs and a TV and stairs and elevators.

Ash decided to test his luck on the elevator. He made his way towards it and walked in. Then he pushed the third floor button, Jimmy had told him in which room Marina were staying.

Ash waited as the elevator made its way up, then it pinged. Ash walked out from the elevator and headed towards the room, he saw that he was alone with Pikachu in the corridor.

"Come out Venusaur." Ash said quietly as he called out his big pokemon.

"Saur!"

"You remember what I told you to do at the pokemon center?" Ash asked his pokemon.

Venusaur nodded.

"Good, be ready."

Ash then walked towards the door and knocked at it.

He waited for a couple of seconds until the door opened, Ash quickly jumped out of the way and Venusaur shoot out a steam of blue powder towards the old lady in the room, she quickly fell down on the floor sleeping.

"Well, that was easy!" Ash stated. "Pikachu, guard the door and Venusaur you come with me."

Ash walked to the elevator and placed Venusaur inside it.

"Listen now, I'm going to send you to the bottom floor, there you'll send Sleep Powder out in the lobby, I'm going to take the stairs so I won't be affected."

Venusaur nodded as Ash clicked the bottom floor button and jumped out from the elevator, then he began to walk down the stairs.

When Ash came down he saw a big pokemon, recognized as his Venusaur, stand in the lobby and all people and pokemon there were... sleeping.

"_Better hurry this up before any unwelcome guests comes in_" Ash thought as he recalled Venusaur and made his way towards the door.

"Jimmy!" Ash said in a silent voice, but it was enough for Jimmy to hear it.

"Yeah?"

"Let's go." Ash smirked as he held the door open for him.

They walked into the lobby and Jimmy gave Ash a puzzled look.

"What did you do to them?"

"It wasn't me, blame Venusaur." Ash said innocently as they made their way towards the room.

When they got there Ash saw that Jimmy hesitated.

"Maybe we should do this another time..." Jimmy began but was cut off by Ash.

"I didn't knock out a full hotel just so you could `do this another time´." Ash said angrily as he pushed Jimmy towards and then through the door.

"Is that her mother?" Ash asked and pointed to the unconscious body that laid on the floor with a little rodent on it.

"Yeah." Jimmy said simply.

"Mom is something wrong?"

The sound of the female voice made Ash and Pikachu to take battle position and Jimmy to turn pale.

The door opened and revealed a beautiful girl with blue long hair, but it wasn't like Dawn's it was tied in two ponytail on each side. She was dresses in a white nightgown and you could see that her belly was a little rounder than normal.

Marina looked at the hooded man in the room, she got a terrified expression as he started to look at her.

"Umm, hi?" Ash said as he raised his hand as a waving gesture.

Marina screamed and hit Ash on the head with the lamp nearby, Ash wasn't ready for the punch so he fell down on the floor.

"What the hell?" Ash yelled as he tried to get up.

Marina raised her hand for a new attack when her hand suddenly was grabbed by a male hand.

Marina looked at the hand and then the owner and saw...

"Jimmy?"

Jimmy smiled as he spread out his arms as a gesture to be hugged.

Marina hit him with the lamp on his head too.

"Ouch! What the hell Marina?" Jimmy yelled as he rubbed his head.

"That's for leaving me alone pregnant for one year and then comes back, knock down my mother and then you want me to hug you?!"

"Actually, I knocked down your mother." Ash said with a hint of pride.

"And who's that guy?!?" Marina yelled at Jimmy.

"That's Satoshi, he was the one helping me to get in here."

"Pleasure to meet you." Ash said as he bowed his head, Marina looked like she wanted to hit him again.

"What are you doing here Jimmy?" Marina then asked with a tired voice. "Do you want to break my heart again?"

"No, I want to explain." Jimmy said as he made his way towards her.

"I needed to get away for a moment when you told me that you got pregnant. It was the wrong thing I know, but it was a lot for me to take. And when I came back to the house your mother was there waiting for me and refused to let me meet you." Jimmy walked closer to Marina, preparing for another possible attack from the pregnant girl.

"I've been trying to contact you the last year, but your mother were always there to stop me..." Marina interrupted him.

"So you want to have the baby?"

"Yes." Jimmy said simply.

Marina got tears in her eyes as she ran and hugged Jimmy. "I love you Jimmy!" Marina said as she nuzzled her face into his chest.

"I love you too." Jimmy simply said, but he also had tears in his eyes.

Ash looked at them, it was nice to be able to help others.

"Mission complete Pi?" Ash asked his pokemon.

"Pika!" Pikachu squealed.

That got Marina and Jimmy's attention.

"I'm sorry that I hit you in the head Satoshi." Marina said.

"It's OK, I'm used to pain by now."

Marina decided to not ask what he meant by that.

Suddenly another door opened in the room, getting everyone's attention.

"Marina I heard a screaming noise and..." The person were cut off as he saw a person with a hood and a Pikachu on his right shoulder in the room and two other people hugging each other, on the floor laid a old woman.

"What's he doing here?" Asked the guy angrily, he had a green shirt and shorts and his hair was green and shaped like three spikes.

"Hello Vincent, long time no seen." Jimmy smirked at him.

"Hey, I remember you!" Ash said as he made his way towards him. "I eliminated you in the final battles of the preliminaries of the Silver Conference! I thought your name was Jackson."

Vincent looked at the hooded trainer and at the Pikachu in his shoulder, then he remembered.

"You didn't win, it was a draw!" Vincent yelled.

"I moved on and you didn't, isn't that true?"

Vincent hesitated.

"I won." Ash said simply, he smirked under his hood.

"Looks like you know Vincent Jackson." Jimmy said to Ash.

Vincent ignored his statement and turned to Jimmy.

"Does this means that you're together?" He asked and were referring to Marina and Jimmy.

"Is this enough proof for you?" Jimmy asked as he took Marina into a long passionate kiss.

Vincent just walked out off the room, he didn't say a word.

"What do you say about that we ditch the old lady and goes home to Johto?" Jimmy asked his new, and at the same time old, girlfriend.

"Sure." Marina smiled to him.

"You coming Satoshi?" Jimmy said to Ash.

"Sure, why not." Ash said as he walked after them.

As Jimmy and Marina were about to board the night ferry Jimmy turned to Ash.

"I can't thank you enough." Jimmy said. "If it weren't for you my kid would've probably grow up with Vincent like dad." Jimmy shivered at the thought.

"Don't mention it." Ash said. "I know how it's to be raised not knowing who my real father is, that's the least I could do for you."

"Thanks Satoshi." Marina said as she gave Ash a quick kiss on the cheek. Jimmy didn't seem to like it and Ash gave her a quick smile.

"I wish you good luck with your friends." Jimmy said. "Are you sure I cannot do anything to help you?"

"I'm sure." Ash said. "That's something I got to do by myself."

"Help him with what?" Marina asked.

"I'll tell you on the ferry." Jimmy said to her.

"I'll be seeing you Satoshi. Good luck in the tournament!"

"Thanks, bye Jimmy and Marina, I'm hoping that you will have a wonderful future together." Ash said.

"Pikachu!" The little rodent said.

"Yes, I know. Cheesy but true." Ash said laughing.

Jimmy and Marina boarded the ferry. Ash waved them off as they disappeared at the horizon.

Ash looked at the town clock.

"Shit! It's 12 at the night!" Ash said. Pikachu gave him a puzzled look. "We were supposed to pick up Sarah six hours ago!"

Ash ran towards the PCCC building with Pikachu tightly holding onto his shoulder.

"_She's going to hate me!_"

**End of Chapter 9**

**

* * *

**

**Well, that was nice wasn't it?**

**How did you like the battle scene this time?**

**I just found out that Vincent in the pokemon Chronicles and Ash's opponent in the Silver Conference Jackson were the same person! I just couldn't resist to have it in the story.**

**I hope you didn't mind the questshipping bit (Jimmy and Marina)  
**

**Remember: The Misty vote!**

**Also feel free to send me OC's (Not in the review, MAIL), look at the beginning of the chapter for requirements.**

**You can also give me some events that are going to happen to Ash or other persons in this story, that will make it longer!  
**

**Cya in the next chapter!**

**R&R  
**


	10. Chapter 10

**Looks like it's a new chapter from me.**

**First I would like to thank you for all the OC's I've gotten! (Unfortunate, I got three times as many as I needed so I can't use them all.) I don't need any more OC's!   
**

**Second, I would like to remember to vote on either Gary or Tracey, current stats is: Gary:12; Tracey:10; (One vote per chapter!)**

**Let's enjoy the chapter!  
**

* * *

"I said I was sorry!"

The sound of the young mans voice got some attention and people turned around to take a look at a little girl with black hair around eight years old, walking towards a building that many recognized as a battle field, followed by a tall young man wearing a black cloak and a hood over his head.

"Can you at least talk to me?" Ash asked the little girl.

Since he had picked her up from the PCCC she hadn't said a word to him.

"Come on Sarah, you can talk to me, I promise I won't put you there again!" Ash said desperately, he was starting to worry that the girl had a terrible experience or something when she was at that place.

"There's nothing to talk about Satoshi!" Sarah yelled at him. "I sat there in six bloody hours waiting for you!"

"Things got in the way!"

"What kind of things?" Sarah asked furiously.

"Well, I met this guy at the battle and then we decided to go to the bar and..." Ash started.

"You left to a bar instead of picking me up?!?" Sarah screamed. "Did you know what they made me do?!? They made me sing `Grandma's little Torchic´ for over four hours!"

"I weren't just at the bar!" Ash snapped at her, he was starting to get annoyed by the girls stubbornness. "I was helping a friend to get together with his girlfriend that's waiting his child!"

Sarah was about to say something, then she hesitated and opened her mouth again, her voice had changed.

"That's so romantic!"

Ash literally fell to the ground.

"So you're not mad at me anymore?" Ash asked hopefully, he could feel a little rodent poke him in the back inside his backpack.

Sarah glared at him.

"Oh come on!" Ash said tiredly. "Is there anything I can do so you won't be mad at me?"

Ash directly regretted that he had said those words when Sarah looked at him with a look that sent shivers down his spine.

"I'm only going to forgive you if you, me and Pikachu go shopping after your battle!" Sarah said with a mix of a happy and evil smile.

Ash turned pale.

"Please! Anything but that!" Ash pleaded to the little girl.

"Nope!" Sarah stated happily. "So how's gonna be?"

Ash took a big sigh before he said.

"I'm going to regret this but... Okay, I will come with you on a shopping trip..." Ash said defeated.

"YAAAY!" Sarah cheered with her childish voice.

"But first I'm going to have my battle." The black haired trainer said as he opened the door.

"Yeah, but the more you delay it the more time we spend in the mall!" Sarah piped in.

"_Crap!_" Ash thought, it had been his plan to try and `play around´ with his opponent so they wouldn't have enough time to go to the mall, but it seemed like he had no way out at the moment.

They walked in only to find the field... empty?

"Where's everybody?" The black haired girl asked the black haired boy.

"I have no idea kid." Ash said.

"Don't call me kid!" Sarah said with an angry tone. "It makes me feel small."

Ash gave her a strange look.

Then the doors at the opposite side opened and revealed a girl with blond hair around the age of eighteen, she wore white shorts and a blouse that had a big cleavage that leaved very little for the imagination. With other words, Ash and Sarah started to stare at the woman, but it was for different reasons.

"Hello!" The blond said cheerfully. "My name is Tori Adams who are you?"

Ash just stood there and refused to take his gaze away, that was until Sarah punched him in the guts.

"Ouch! Oh, my name's Satoshi." Ash said and tried to gain his coldly voice again.

"Cute name for a cute trainer!" Tori said. "Well, that is if you take down your hood."

Ash thought about it for a moment, the girl was clearly a maniac, but she had manage to get to the top 256.

"I think I will keep my hood ma'am." Ash said to the woman.

"Aww, suit yourself!" She said with her cheerful voice.

"What kind of battle do you want miss?" Ash shouted over to her.

"Hmm, I think a double battle sound good!" The girl said with her high piercing voice.

The referee came up to the battlefield.

"This is a match between the green corner and the red corner, it will be a double battle with three pokemon to use, but only two out each at the same time. There is no time limit and substitutions is not allowed. Have the trainers understood the rules?"

Both Ash and Tori answered yes.

"Very well, begin the match!"

"Please miss Adams, let me send out my first two pokemon." Ash smiled to his opponent.

"Such a gentleman, maybe we can meet after the battle!" Tori said happily.

"Sorry, I got my schedule full!" Ash shouted over to her.

"Kick her ass Satoshi." Sarah said quietly to Ash before she left the field.

"Don't worry, I will." Ash said as he unattached two pokeballs from his belt.

"Venusaur! Floatzel! You're up!" Ash shouted as he threw the pokeballs up in the air and summoned a weasel and a plant-pokemon.

"Looks like nice pokemon." Tori said in a little hesitating voice, she was uncomfortable with that Ash had summoned his two pokemon before she had summoned one of hers.

"Arcanine and Electivire battle dance!" She yelled as she threw her pokeballs into the air.

Out of the two balls came a huge pokemon that looked like it was a mix between a lion and a dog, Ash had seen pokemon like that one before but still couldn't help to get fascinated by the grace and power Arcanine showed.

From the other ball came Electivire, the evolved form from Electabuzz, Ash remembered when he battled Gary's Electivire a long time ago, it had almost crushed his Pikachu, he got to be careful this time.

"Begin the battle!" Ash heard the judge shout.

"Electrive Thunderbolt, Arcanine Flamethrower!" Tori shouted from the green corner.

Electrive charged up a yellow bolt of lightning and shot it towards the weasel pokemon meanwhile the dog like pokemon opened his mouth and fired a very powerful beam of fire towards Venusaur.

"Floatzel, dodge the Thunderbolt and Water Gun on that Flamethrower!" Ash countered.

Floatzel dodged easily the Thunderbolt and began to launch a water attack that seconds after hit the Flamethrower that were coming towards Venusaur.

"Now it's our time to show them!" Ash said to his battling pokemon. "Venusaur, begin to charge up with a SolarBeam and Floatzel you cover him with counter shield!"

With those words Venusaur's plant on its back began to glow white as he began to gather sunlight.

Floatzel began to spin around on his back as he fired water and made it like a moving shield all around the field.

"We have to stop them! Electrive use Thunderbolt on Floatzel! and Arcanine break through that strange shield with Flare Blitz!"

"_Flare Blitz? Can't she see that the shield is of water?_" Ash thought.

Arcanine began to charge forward with a great speed and then started to turn into some kind of fireball. Electrive shot once again out a yellow lightning bolt towards Floatzel.

"Floatzel stop you shield and get away from that Thunderbolt and Venusaur fire the SolarBeam towards Arcanine as fast as you can!" Ash cried out desperately.

Floatzel stopped spinning and tried to dodge it again, but he got hit by the Thunderbolt and were slung towards Venusaur.

"Saur!" Venusaur roared.

Tori thought that it was a cry of pain as Floatzel struck into him, but Ash knew what it really was.

"_Wait for it Venusaur._" Ash thought to himself.

Arcanine began to get closer and closer towards Venusaur.

"Fire!" Ash roared at the top of his lungs.

"Arcanine! Get away from there!"

But it was too late. Venusaur had unleashed one of the most powerful grass attacks towards Arcanine, and even if you count that Arcanine is a fire type and resistant to grass Arcanine also used Flare Blitz that made it hurt himself at impact. With other words, Arcanine hit the wall at the side of its trainer.

"Arcanine!" Tori yelled.

"Floatzel Aqua Jet!"

Floatzel surrounded himself with water as he began to fly towards the already tired and panting Arcanine that could barley move but still refused to give in.

"Arcanine dodge it! Electrive stop him with Thunderbolt!"

"Razor Leaf Venusaur!" Ash called.

A Thunderbolt came flying towards Floatzel just to be stopped by Venusaur's Razor Leafs. Arcanine tried to move but were too hurt and tired, he could only wait for the impact of the extremely fast Aqua Jet.

The water weasel struck Arcanine in the side of the head, but it wasn't so powerful that he flew several meters away, but it was enough to make Arcanine unable to continue.

"Arcanine is unable to battle! Green corner please send out you last pokemon!" The referee shouted.

"Gliscor, battle dance!" Tori shouted as she summoned her last pokemon to fight at the side of Electrive.

The Gliscor looked like Ash's. It looked like a large vampire bate-like pokemon. Its body also looked like an open mouth. But there was a huge different between Ash's Gliscor and Tori's. Tori's didn't look like a crybaby.

"Impressive Gliscor you got there!" Ash shouted as a compliment.

"I'm sure parts of you are impressive also!" Tori shouted back. Ash sweatdropped.

Ash looked over the battlefield, his Floatzel and Venusaur stood on his side, ready to battle to the end. He looked over to his opponents side, Gliscor were ready for a fight but Electrive looked exhausted, Ash decided that it was best to take them down one and one.

"Venusaur, Leech Seed on Electrive! Floatzel, Water Gun on Gliscor!"

"Electrive dodge and ThunderPunch on Floatzel! Gliscor, you use Sludge Bomb on that Water Gun and then on Venusaur!" Tori shouted.

Venusaur's seed was not dodged that easily as it made impact on the already tired Electrive and started to suck energy out of him. Gliscor managed to use Sludge Bomb on Floatzel's Water Gun to disable it and then fired a bunch of Sludge Bombs towards Venusaur, they all hit their mark.

"Venusaur! Are you OK?" Ash shouted to his pokemon as Venusaur began to back off and tried to shake off the sludge from its head.

"Floatzel, use a weak Water Gun on Venusaur's head to wash of the sludge!" Ash ordered his pokemon.

Floatzel began to wash away the slime on Venusaur.

"Let's take them while they're distracted guys!" Tori shouted to her pokemon. "Gliscor you use Fire Fang on Venusaur and Electrive use ThunderPunch on Floatzel!"

Gliscor began to fly towards Venusaur and Electrive began to move.

Suddenly Electrive stopped dead track and fainted, the Leech Seed had sucked out to much energy.

"Electrive is unable to battle!"

Ash saw Gliscor come closer and closer towards Venusaur.

"Venusaur Leaf Storm and Floatzel you know what to do!"

Venusaur began to shoot out several powerful leafs towards Gliscor, some of them hit their mark, making Gliscor flinch, but thanks to Gliscor's Fire Fang it greatly reduced the damage.

Tori thought that she had Venusaur knocked out as Gliscor began to close in. but suddenly a big block of ice containing a weasel came smashing into Gliscor. Gliscor began to fall towards the ground.

"No! Please Gliscor, straighten up!" Tori shouted.

"Floatzel, Water Gun on its back!" Ash ordered.

Floatzel, that were over Gliscor, fired a powerful jet of water that hit Gliscor's back and made him fall even faster towards the ground until it crashed.

"Gliscor are no longer able to battle!" The referee shouted. "The green corner is out of pokemon, that means that the red corner wins the match!"

"Great job guys, return and have a nice rest." Ash told his two pokemon as he redraw them. He could hear Pikachu cheer inside his backpack.

Ash watched at the other side of the field and saw that Tori did the same thing to her pokemon. Ash was about to go over to her and thank her for the match as he felt someone drag him away from there, he looked down and spotted a little girl with black hair.

"Took you long time enough Satoshi, come on!" Sarah said pouting as she continued to drag him towards the door.

"Long time? Are we waiting for something?" Ash asked curious.

"What? You mean that you've forgotten that we're going shopping!?" Sarah scold him.

"Shopping? I don't remember I promised you that." Ash said and begged that it would work.

"Hmm, I wonder what your friends would say when they finds out that you've been hiding from them all the time since you got here?" Sarah thought out loud threatening.

"Okay okay, let's go." Ash said tiredly as Sarah cheered and started to drag him towards the door more forcefully.

It was like Ash could feel his doom getting closer and closer to him as they walked towards the big shopping mall. The mall was famous for the numbers of stores and products, it was called by some for the place in heaven and others place in hell, you could just guess which nickname Ash used for it.

Sarah continued to drag him towards the doors, Ash sighed and remembered the times Dawn and May had dragged him around in the mall it wasn't fun but it was probably better to go with someone around your own age than acting like a babysitter for a eight years old girl that was as hyperactive as a Mankey on a sugar rush.

"Pay attention Satoshi!" Sarah almost yelled at him.

Ash looked up and saw that they were now inside the mall. He saw several people, most girls, walk around in the big building and looks like they were in heaven. Ash looked around and saw several stores, they all had some sort of `special price´ sign in their windows, it was stores for coordinators, trainers, breeders, researchers, photographers, rangers and even magicians!

Ash couldn't understand what possibly the ranger and pokemon magician stores could sell, because you needed to be a ranger to get hold of their gears. And magicians, well, it speaks for itself.

"Come on Ash!" Sarah said and pulled Ash into a store.

Ash read the sign on the store, it was big and pink and stood `coordinators´ on it. Ash gave the girl a puzzled look and asked.

"You want to become a coordinator?"

Sarah looked a little uncomfortable before she said. "Yeah, it's something that I've always dreamed of. I don't know why but it seems somehow so cool and..."

"Romantic?" Ash asked, it wasn't like he knew the answer but he thought that he knew Sarah rather good by this time.

"Yeah!" Sarah said happily, she thought that Ash understood what she meant.

Ash sighed as he let Sarah run around and look on the expensive, pretty but yet useless stuffs in the store. The only thing that Ash could find use off were the poffins that they had on-sale. But Ash didn't bather to give them a second look, his pokemon preferred the food that he normally made for them, he had become a rather good at cooking since he left.

"Can I get this please?"

Ash snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the little girl that held some kind of watch.

"Why do you need a pokétch for?" Ash asked puzzled. "They're not helping you."

"Yes they do!" Sarah said angrily. "They have an app that..."

"I know what they do, but they also prevent you from learning to come in contact with your pokemon, you can't have something like that to control your training and pokemons' feelings." Ash said annoyed. "All you need is a pokédex and some sense and you're going to be much better than those who carries a pokétch."

Sarah didn't seem to listen at Ash at all.

"So I can have it?" She asked hopefully.

"Did you even listen to me?"

"Yeah, you said something like trainers can't be without them!"

Ash sighed, the girl was truly in her own world.

"How much?"

"Only 1.500 pokedollars!" Sarah said amazed.

Ash started to cough.

"1.500 pokedollars for some piece of junk?!?" Ash yelled so the whole store could hear them.

Two minutes later.

"I hope you're happy now Satoshi!" Sarah said angrily. "You did so we were kicked out from the store!"

"I'm a little happy, yes." Ash said as they continued to walk down and look at the stores on their left and right.

"And stop look like you're going to the executioner!" Sarah said angrily.

"I wish I were back at Team Aquas torture chamber..." Ash mumbled.

"Did you say something?" Sarah said threateningly.

"No, nothing." Ash said, feeling down.

"I need new clothes." Sarah said as she started to walk towards the store.

"I can wait out here, right?" Ash asked nervously.

"NO!" Sarah stated with a loud voice.

"Oh great Arceus, save me!" Ash pleaded as he were following Sarah with heavy steps towards the woman underwear department.

* * *

"I won another battle!" A fourteen year old boy with glasses stated as he walked with a small group towards a big building.

"Max, if you so much speaks of it again I'll hit you in the head!" Said a very annoyed May.

Max had been talking about the match since they left he battle field, he hadn't even taken notice that he had the luck to face a trainer that specialized in just one type, bugs.

May giggled slightly as she thought back at the moment when Max's opponent called out his first pokemon, made Misty to scream in fear. After the battle Misty had fled towards their hotel, she couldn't bare to stay at the person that used bug types anymore. Brock, Gary and Tracey had decided to follow her. Brock because he wanted to check on Misty. Gary and Tracey followed him because they refused to leave Misty alone with another guy.

Max was going to regret that he was in his little own world after his battle, he had unwittingly agreed to go shopping with May and Dawn.

"So, we're we going?" Max asked after a while.

"We are going to shop in the big mall!" Dawn said happily as they came closer towards the big shopping mall.

Max got a horrified look on his face. Max hated shopping, not as much as Ash, but still a rather much.

"I refuse to go!" Max said as he started to turn around.

"You're not going anywhere!" The girls shouted and took him by his arms and started to drag him towards the big doors.

"_Is this the end?_" Max thought as the doors opened.

* * *

Ash couldn't take it anymore, he felt like he was suffocating in this damn store.

He also had a problem with the people around him, they gave him strange and angry looks. But you also needs to remember that he's wearing a black cloak with a black hood over his head and he's standing in the middle of the store, trying desperately not to come in contact with any of the female undergarments.

"What did I do to deserve this?" Ash thought out loud for himself.

"You left me at the PCCC, remember?" Sarah said as she came walking towards him with some clothes in her arms.

"Oh yeah." Ash said, feeling a little better at the thought.

The raven haired trainer took a look at the clothes the girl had in her arms. It was three pairs of the female version of boxers and two white T-shirts. But at the sight of the third piece of cloth, gave Ash Sarah a puzzled look.

"Do you really need that?" Ash asked, he didn't think before he asked.

"Yeah, why do you ask?" Sarah asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Umm, well.." Ash started, he could feel the embarrassment raising to his face.

"You're eight years old!" Ash finally said.

"So?"

"You don't need a bra!" Ash could somehow feel that Pikachu sweatdropped by his outburst in Ash's backpack.

Now it was Sarah's turn to blush.

"Ca... Can't we just buy this and not talk about it anymore?"

Ash felt relived by the girls words.

"Yeah, let's do that. I'm going to give you the money and you'll pay."

Ash handed her the money and walked out from the store. He felt happy when he was out from the store, he felt a little down when he remembered that Sarah had told him that they were going to visit another store, he felt depressed when he remembered that they were going to go through all of the stores in the mall.

"Come on now!" Sarah demanded as she tried to pull Ash towards another store.

"Hold it!" Ash said as he released himself from her grip.

Sarah gave him a puzzled look.

"The change..." Ash said and held out his hand towards the little girl.

Sarah sighed and gave him some money. Ash still held his hand in front of her.

"That's all!" Sarah said annoyed.

Ash still held his hand at the same place.

"Fine!" Sarah pouted and gave him the rest of the money.

"Thank you." Ash smiled.

"Let's go!" The little girl was a little mad at Ash for taking the money that she had `earned´, but she shrugged it off and started to drag him towards the next store.

"What's next?" Ash said with a sigh.

"Dresses!"

Ash eyes grew huge, but it wasn't for a positive way.

"I think I'll wait outside and then you can call me when it's time to pay for the stuffs." Ash said and started to release himself from the girls death grip.

"Oh no you don't!" Sarah said as she tightened her grip around Ash and continued to drag him towards the store.

Ash started to consider if he would order Pikachu to zap him, it would be less painful and he was surely going to end up in the hospital for the rest of the day. But at the same time the attack could struck Sarah that held his arm, and there were no insurance that he would be able to battle tomorrow if he did that.

Ash sighed as he let the girl drag him into the store.

The store was big and pieces of cloth hanged everywhere from hangers at the walls. Ash glanced at Sarah and saw that she thought that she were in heaven. Ash took a deep breath and thought that at least people wouldn't give him strange looks in here. He could see several males walking around, or being dragged around in the stores by one or two girls.

But Ash didn't see a big man that looked like he was in a motorbike gang, came walking in his direction. People that were in his path quickly jumped away from him, all except a certain black haired boy that was in his own thoughts, Ash tried to compare hell to this store. The biker didn't see Ash, he had some kind of small but busty girl at his side that he didn't take his eyes from.

**Thud!**

Ash rubbed his head as he tried to get up from the floor, he looked up and saw the big man holding for his already bleeding nose.

"Son of a bitch!" The man cried out.

"Sorry mister." Ash said. "I didn't spot you."

Ash was going to walk away when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

Ash's trained senses and reflexes made him dodge the punch that were coming against him.

"Don't think you're going to get away that easy punk!" The man roared to him.

"Please, I don't want any trouble." Ash said, but he knew that it wasn't any use and started to mentally prepare for the battle.

"Kick his ass Spike!" The busty girl said encouraging to the biker.

"Don't worry Cheryl, I will." Spike said as he raised his fists.

A crowd started to surround them as the two men began to circle around in the store.

"_This is just great!_" Ash though. "_`We need to keep a low profile Sarah...´ That should be coming from me?!?_"

Ash saw Sarah stand in the crowd, she was looking like she was going to interfere but Ash gave her a look that said that she should stay still.

"I'm guessing you don't wont to solve this with an ordinary pokemon battle Mr. Spike?" Ash asked politely, he wanted the man to get a chance to get away from there unhurt.

"Does this answer you question?!?" Spike roared as he threw a punch towards Ash's face, Ash dodged it easily.

"Well, then I don't have any choice..." Ash said as he walked towards Sarah and gave her the backpack and then faced Spike in battle position.

Spike growled as he launched himself towards Ash and tried to get a grip of his neck. Ash jumped out of the way with a speed that made the people around him gasp.

"Are you having fun yet?" A bored Ash asked the furious Spike.

Spike just roared in anger and charged towards Ash again.

* * *

"Okay, now it's just left for us to get the dresses!" A happy brunette said as she walked with Dawn and a very tired and depressed Max towards a specific store.

"Why do we have to get to that store?" Max desperately asked.

"Because that store is famous for its dresses and accessories." May said annoyed by her brothers whinging.

"But look at all the people inside it!" Max said and tried to point, he wasn't so successful due to the huge amount of bags on his arms, towards the store.

May and Dawn looked at the store. He was right, there was a huge mass of people and they all seemed to be... cheering?

"Let's check it out!" Max said as he dropped the bags on the floor and ran over to that direction.

"Hey! Wait up!" Dawn yelled as she ran after him with May shortly after.

When they arrived they could see a familiar black haired girl.

"Sarah!" They said.

Sarah spotted them and waved excitedly as a hello and a sign to make them to come to her.

"Sarah what's going on?" May asked.

"A fight!" Sarah said with her cheerful voice. "And it's without pokemon!"

"Cool!" Max said as he got hit in the head by his sister.

"Why isn't anyone stopping them?" May asked worried. "Where's your brother?"

"He's one of the fighters!" Sarah said proudly and made a gesture towards the field.

"Satoshi is in a fight?" Dawn asked. "Why don't you do something, he could get hurt!"

"Nah," Sarah said. "he's kicking the other guys ass!"

That made the trio to look towards the battle between Ash and Spike. It was truly, Spike looked like he was at the line of fainting and Ash didn't even panting.

"You're giving up soon?" Ash asked Spike mocking.

"Shut up!" Spike roared as he tried to land another punch at Ash.

Ash didn't even try to dodge it and just blocked it with his hand.

Ash then took his right fist and forced it into Spike's face with a incredible strength. It made Spike to fly some meters and then hit the floor. The battle was over.

People began to cheer for Satoshi and then they started to move along like nothing had happened.

"I can't believe he defeated that guy..." Dawn said stunned.

"I can't believe he managed to keep his hood on his head all the time!" Max said impressed.

"You did it Satoshi!" Sarah screamed as she ran and hugged Ash.

"Did you expect something else?" Ash asked the little girl playfully.

May, Dawn and Max were about to go and congratulate Ash before they heard a too familiar voice.

"Heloooo! Big bad fighteeeer!"

Ash looked up just to see a tall purple haired person coming against him. The person were dressed in a Cacturne-looking suit and had his arms spread out as a hug gesture as the person walked towards Ash.

"Whooaa!" Ash said as he backed of. "I'm flattered but I don't swing that way and..."

"What?!? It isn't like that!" Harley said angrily as Max, Sarah, May and Dawn tried to hold their laughter.

"You mean that you're a girl?" Ash asked puzzled, still on his guard.

"NO!" Harley shouted. The group of youths were now laughing out loud.

"You mean..." Ash started. "You mean that you're cross-dressing?"

Max, Dawn, May and Sarah couldn't take it anymore, they laid on the floor and laughed the hardest they could.

"NO!"

"But can you then tell me what you're doing in a store for female dresses alone if you're a guy?" Ash asked puzzled.

Harley was about to say something but walked away muttering.

"That was one strange guy... girl... whatever it was." Ash said to himself. "Sarah! We're going!"

Ash tried to look where Sarah was and saw her stand with four familiar people that were snickering, he quickly lowered his head so they wouldn't see his face. Then he took up the backpack, containing a little rodent, and walked towards the four persons.

"I hope the entertainment was a at your disposal ladies." Ash said to the girls, they blushed a little and smiled.

"Sarah." The girl looked up to Ash. "It's time to go."

"So soon?" Sarah asked with a sad tone.

"Yes." Ash said in his stern voice.

"Then we're going to get here another time!" Sarah said as she began to walk out from the store. "Bye May, Dawn and Max!"

The trio waved their goodbyes to Sarah as she and Ash walked out from the mall. May could swear on that she heard Satoshi say something about Team Aqua and torture-chamber.

"May?"

May jumped slightly at those words. She turned around and saw Dawn and Max giving her a worried look.

"Is everything alright?" Dawn asked carefully.

"Yeah, it's just that it feels like I've seen him somewhere else..." May said thoughtfully.

"But never mind!" May then said. "Let's continue shopping! Max, carry the bags!"

Dawn cheered and Max groaned as they began to walk towards another store.

* * *

"How long are you going to avoid them Satoshi?" Sarah asked Ash angrily, she didn't like that they had to leave the store.

"Until I have gathered my thoughts." Ash said plainly. "I don't want to do something drastic that I will regret later."

Sarah gave him a confused look but shrugged it off.

"If you say so."

"I do say so. Now, let's take something to eat!" Ash stated as he began to walk towards the hotel.

"Yaaay!" Sarah cheered as she followed Ash. " Can you avoid to lock the door to my bedroom tonight too?"

"No."

**End of Chapter 10.**

* * *

**Hope you liked it!**

**Reminder: Vote for Tracey or Gary.**

**Feel free to send in some events if you want me to make the story a little longer (Don't worry, I will finish it, but if you want it to get longer than I've planned you can send me some tips!)**

**I'll be seeing you in the next chapter!**

**Reviews are always welcome!  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello again!**

**This chapter is a little longer than the other ones, let's just say that a main event is going to happen in this chapter ;)**

**I will remind you to vote on Tracey or Gary again, the current score is: Trace: 11; Gary: 17; Tracey is falling behind! (One vote per chapter!)**

**Don't think there's anymore to say, so let's begin with the chapter!**

**Don't forget to R&R!  
**

* * *

Ash woke up by a loud sound from a door of the room. He rubbed his eyes and heard the little girl scream.

"I need to use the bathroom!"

"Nice try!" Ash replied. "You have a bathroom in your own room!"

Ash could hear Pikachu squeak with laughter in Ash's bed. Ash gave the little rodent a questioning look. Pikachu started to look innocent.

"You did something with her bathroom, didn't you?" Ash asked his faithful yellow pokemon.

Pikachu looked Ash into his eyes and tried to be serious, but Ash saw a smile grew on the rodents face, the smile grew then to a laughter.

Ash shook his head as he walked towards the girls room and opened the door.

"Had a nice slee..." Ash didn't get any further as the girl ran past him and into a bathroom.

Ash decided to walk and take a look at the bathroom. He got fascinated and annoyed that a little yellow mouse-pokemon could do such a mess.

The toilet was filled with paper and almost overflowed with water, several bottles of shampoo and perfume laid on the floor, some broken and others leaking.

Ash shook his head and left the room.

"Aren't you going to yell at that stupid thing!" Sarah yelled at Ash.

Ash looked at the girl, it was clearly that she was angry as hell, her face was a mess and her hair was even more worse than Dawn's bedhead.

"No." Ash simply stated at the girl's question. "I will not."

"But why?!?"

"Pi has saved my life to many times. I can't just yell at him for such a simple thing." Ash said, then he added. "And didn't you lock him in when I told him to watch you?"

With those words Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder and stack out his little red tongue at the already furious girl. Ash chuckled.

"This was your revenge Pi, wasn't it?" Ash asked with an amused tone.

Pikachu nodded his head eagerly in agreement.

Ash turned towards the place Sarah had stood, just to find the place empty. Sarah had walked to get some breakfast, and maybe plan a revenge towards the pokemon and its trainer.

"Nice one." Ash whispered to Pikachu. "But we need to stay alerted from now."

Pikachu nodded seriously and then rubbed his cheek against Ash's and cooed happily.

Ash got dressed and walked towards the cafeteria to get something to eat.

Ash spotted the little girl waving towards him, it seemed like she had forgotten everything already. Ash also spotted the group of his old friends. He quickly redraw himself towards the stairs, he hadn't pulled his hood over yet and Pikachu were still on his shoulder.

"Pi, return." Ash said as he pulled over his hood.

Ash felt something tug his cape and looked down and saw Sarah stand there with an annoyed look.

"It's really annoying that you're hiding like this." She said angrily.

"Yeah yeah." Ash said as he walked discrete towards the food service.

He got his food and walked over to a table in the corner of the room, it made few people notice him but he could see almost everything in the room. Sarah was sitting beside him.

Ash took a look around the room, it wasn't many there. Two people that seemed to be a couple, three girls that looked over at him and giggled when he looked at them, then there was the group of his old friends, but the tension in the air in the group seemed a little... tensed.

"Sarah." Ash then said. "What's up with May and the others?"

"I don't know really." Sarah said as she also looked over towards the group, after she had glared at the trio of girls. "I think they said something about the geek facing someone named Paul."

Ash got a dark look at those words.

"You know him?" Sarah asked curiously.

"As a friend, no." Ash started. "As a rival, yes."

Sarah seemed utterly confused.

"You know when I told you about my crushing defeat in the Sinnoh League?"

Sarah nodded her head in agreement.

"That guy Paul that they are talking about was the same Paul that beaten me in the league."

Sarah still seemed confused.

"But you seems to dislike him, are you a sore loser?" Sarah asked with a little mocking smile.

"I used to be, yeah. But it isn't like that." Ash said as he tried to calm himself down. "Paul is the kind of trainer that thinks that you need to capture the strongest pokemon to win. He doesn't care a shit about training and socializing with your pokemon. In other words, he's an evil heartless son of a bitch."

Sarah flinched at those words, they were explained so calm, but yet so hateful.

"So you aren't best friends?"

"No, we were to different to befriend each other." Ash said with a little smile. "And I also don't think that Paul wants any friends."

"Everybody wants friends!" Sarah stated with confidence.

Ash just smiled at the girl.

"You're to young Sarah, you haven't seen and experienced the pain of the world like I have."

Sarah looked down, she hated when Ash talked about his life like that.

"But I still don't understand why a person doesn't want any friends!"

"Let's say like this." Ash said as he started to explain for the little girl. "People are always afraid of loosing somebody, that's why some people goes into their own personal bubble and refuses to get to know any people. I think that it's because they're afraid of loosing them and don't think they can bear the pain."

Sarah seemed like she could understand a little of Ash's explanation.

Ash had finished his breakfast and looked over across the room, the only people that were left were the couple, the girls and his old friends had already left.

"I think it's time for us to go and get ready for my battle." Ash said as he stood up, Sarah did the same.

Ash got the backpack, containing a yellow little electric rodent, and walked out from the hotel.

It was a hot day, the sun was shining very clear, like someone had used a Sunny Day.

"Looks like it's going to be the day of the grass pokemon." Ash said to nobody special.

"What do you mean?" Sarah asked curiously.

"Are you going to ask what I mean all the time?" Ash asked with slight annoyance.

"Yepp!"

Ash sighed. "Well, when it's sunny it means that many of the grass attacks increases and becomes more powerful."

"I know that!" Sarah stated with pride.

"Then why did you ask?"

Sarah kept quite the rest of the way to the battlefield.

The battlefield was like the other ones he had battled on, just plain sand-ground and average size.

Ash noticed that there were a roof of the building, that meant that even if the sun shined brightly it wouldn't help that much, flying pokemon couldn't also use their fully power due to the low roof.

The hooded Ash watched his opponent, she was around twenty years old and had bright lime peel eyes, Ash was confused by that. She also had mint green hair just going past her shoulders and a sleeveless purple sweater, she had black pants and a blue sash around her waist. You could see in her eyes that she looked like the stubborn kind.

"May I ask for your name?" The girl said with a mature, but yet girly, voice to Ash.

"Satoshi, you?"

"I'm Luna Kurotori, I'm from Hoenn!" Luna said with a little wink towards Ash. "Can I see who's under the hood?"

Ash thought about it. He couldn't see any risk with taking it off, he slowly removed it and showed his matured and handsome face to his opponent.

Ash could see Luna frozen and stare at Ash with a bit of drool hanging from her mouth.

Ash groaned silent for himself. "_Why's that always happens to me?!?_" He thought with another sigh.

"Are the opponents ready to decide the type of battle?" The referee called.

"Yes!" Ash yelled to him.

"What about the green corner?" The referee asked.

No response.

"Green corner!" The judge shouted to Luna.

Luna jumped slightly and snapped out from her thoughts.

"What?" She asked slightly annoyed.

"Enjoying what you're seeing?" Ash asked mockingly.

Luna blushed bright red.

"Are the green corner ready to decide the type of battle?" The referee asked with a hint of annoyance in his tone.

"Umm, yeah!" Luna said with restored confidence.

"I'm letting you decide Miss Kurotori!" Ash yelled to his opponent.

Luna nodded before she said.

"I want a one on one pokemon battle!"

"Got it!" The referee said and raised his flag.

"This will be a one on one battle with three pokemon each between the green and red corner, there won't be any time-limit. The battle is over when all of the pokemon on one corner are unable to battle... Begin the match!"

With those words he lowered his flags.

"Sceptile, battle stance!" Ash yelled and threw a red and white ball into the air.

The ball opened and revealed a green big lizard with a tree as a tail and a leaf in each arm.

"Your pokemon looks really strong! I'm sure he's going to win!" Luna said happily.

Ash sweatdropped.

"Umm, Miss Kurotori, shouldn't you support your own pokemon?" Ash asked slightly confused.

"Oh yeah! You're right!" Luna said as she gave him another wink.

Luna lifted her sweater, a little to much for Ash's comfortable, and unattached a blue and white pokeball.

"Frost, show 'em what you're made of!"

She threw the pokeball into the air and revealed a fox-like pokemon with light blue fur.

"Impressive." Ash said with a smile, Luna started to blush a little.

"Thanks!" Luna said happily after a few seconds.

"Sceptile, let's begin with Quick Attack!" Ash yelled.

His pokemon started to charge towards Glaceon with a incredible speed.

"Frost, use Ice Fang!" Luna called, at the same time she pouted with her mouth and winked towards the black haired trainer.

Ash was confused, why did she do that? A few imaginations began to form into the young trainers head, you can just say that his hormones hadn't calmed down fully yet.

"Satoshi! What the hell are you doing?" Sarah yelled to him.

Ash snapped out of his thoughts and saw Sceptile got hit by the Ice Fang.

"_I see, she want's to play that way..._" Ash thought angrily, his opponent did that move towards him so that he should lose his focus.

"Sceptile, are you OK?" Ash asked his pokemon.

"Tile!" Sceptile answered with a nod and started to glare at the little fox.

"That's good, let's use Leaf Blade!"

Sceptile's right leaf on its arm began to glow green as he began charge towards Glaceon again.

"Dodge it and use Ice Fang again Frost!" Luna said with another gesture towards Ash.

Ash smiled and looked at the girl, that move shouldn't work twice on him.

"Jump behind Glaceon and use Bullet Seed!"

Glaceon had opened her mouth and started to summon two light blue spears that came flying towards Sceptile. Sceptile quickly interrupted his Leaf Blade and took a great jump and got behind the fox, he then fired several green bullets at Glaceon, they all hit their mark.

"Frost!" Luna yelled as Glaceon began to get pushed back by the attack.

"That's enough Sceptile!" Ash yelled. "Charge with another Quick Attack!"

Sceptile, that were rather close Glaceon, started to accelerate towards his opponent. Glaceon hadn't time to dodge or react at the attack, she only flew away a few meters.

"Blizzard!" Luna shouted to her pokemon, she didn't like where this was going.

Glaceon opened her mouth once again and shot out several strong snowballs and cold winds towards Sceptile.

"Brace yourself Sceptile!" Ash called to his pokemon.

"Tile!" Sceptile said as the snow struck him, he didn't move a inch.

"But... how?!?" Luna asked with great confusion.

"Very simple Miss Kurotori." Ash said with a smile. "Sceptile and I have been training in the snowy mountains of Kanto for so long that a snow attack by that caliber doesn't make much effect on him."

Luna were dumbstruck, no grass pokemon had manage to take the attack like it was nothing before.

"Leaf Blade Sceptile!"

"Quick Attack!"

Sceptile's right arm leaf began to glow green again as he charged towards the little fox pokemon, Glaceon came towards him with a Quick Attack that almost matched Sceptile's.

"_Looks like it ends here._" Ash thought with a little smile.

Glaceon took a great leap and aimed for Sceptile's head, he in return raised his glowing arm and the two attack collided with each other.

Ash was a little surprised that the attacks were almost even.

"Look's like it's a tie!" Luna yelled to him with a smirk, the pokemon still stood in the same position.

"Almost Miss Kurotori." Ash said as he responded the smirk. "Sceptile, use your left Leaf Blade."

"What?!?"

Sceptile's left arms began to glow as he struck it into Glaceon's stomach, that made Glaceon be smashed into the ground.

"Frost!"

Glaceon began to rise herself. Ash raised an eyebrow impressed.

"That's a really tough pokemon Miss." Ash said as he praised Glaceon. "It isn't many that can stand a direct Leaf Blade form Sceptile."

"My pokemon are tougher than the most!" Luna yelled with pride to Ash.

Ash took another look at Glaceon and saw that she were panting heavily.

"_I think it's time to finish this._" Ash thought.

"Sceptile, close in on Glaceon."

"Frost, use Ice Beam!"

Sceptile began to move towards Glaceon with at a high speed but yet carefully. Glaceon opened her mouth and shot out a blue beam of ice towards the reptile.

Sceptile avoided the attack with ease and was close to the fox-like pokemon now.

"Use Leaf Storm!" Ash ordered his pokemon.

"Dodge it Frost!"

Glaceon tried to move, but the Leaf Blade that had struck her earlier were to much, she could only stand there and receive the attack.

Sceptile summoned several sharp leaf that flew towards the little pokemon, they struck her with such a power that she flew all the way to the feet to her trainer.

"Frost! No!" Luna screamed as Glaceon didn't get up.

"Glaceon is unable to battle, Sceptile wins the battle!"

"Frost, return." Luna said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

She then looked up on Ash.

"You have a very impressive pokemon there!"

"Thanks, he's one of my strongest!" Ash said with another smile.

"Let's see how he can stand up against this!" Luna yelled as she unattached another pokeball from her sash.

"Wish, show 'em what you're made of!"

The ball opened and revealed an elegant psychic pokemon with a long grown.

"Impressive Gardevoir you have." Ash commented her.

"Yeah, me and Wish is the strongest!" Luna stated happily. "Isn't that right Wish! Wish?"

Her pokemon didn't respond, she looked at Ash and Sceptile. She looked at them both for a while before she lowered her head and let out a few teardrops.

"Wish! What's wrong?" Luna asked worried.

"I would appreciate if your pokemon didn't read our memories and feelings." Ash said with a hint of anger in his voice, Sceptile let out a small growl also.

"Did you really do that Wish?" Luna asked.

Gardevoir nodded.

"So what did you see?" Luna asked curiously.

The Gardevoir didn't respond her and got to battle position instead, as a sign of that it wanted to battle instead.

"Okay, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to!" Luna said pouting.

"Begin the match!" The referee shouted.

"Energy Ball!" Luna shouted to her pokemon.

"Leaf Blade!" Ash roared.

The psychic pokemon began to charge up a greenish ball and fired it towards the already charging Sceptile. Sceptile's leaf began to glow green as he smashed the ball away.

Sarah's eyes widened on the sidelines. She had never seen Ash and his pokemon that furious. Sarah thought that it must have been that the Gardevoir read their minds. Ash wasn't the person that liked sharing his thoughts with people.

Luna also seemed a little insecure. But her pokemon started to shake a little with fear, she could feel the anger and hate that were coming from her opponents pokemon and trainer.

"Giga Impact!" Ash shouted to his pokemon.

"Dodge!"

Sceptile began to raise his speed until he just became a green blur. Gardevoir tried to dodge it by jumping to the left but Sceptile countered the move by also turning left and crashed into the pokemon with a incredible force. The psychic pokemon were slung towards the wall and crashed into it.

"Wish!" Luna yelled as she ran to her pokemon.

"Gardevoir is unable to battle!" The referee shouted.

"What's wrong with you?!?" Luna shouted to Ash and his pokemon. "She could have died!"

Ash felt his anger slowly go away, he then realized what he had done.

"I apologize, but I don't like to people to get to know my past. It's for their own sake to." Ash said with his stern voice, hiding his emotions.

"That isn't an excuse to almost kill my pokemon!" Luna shouted to him.

"Devoir..." Her pokemon said with a weak voice.

"Why shouldn't I be angry at him?!?" Luna said angrily to her pokemon. "He almost killed you!"

Ash had lived with pokemon so long that he could understand what her pokemon said.

"Gar, Gardevi Gard." Her pokemon responded. Ash translated it like _**If you had seen what I saw in him you would've understood his anger to.**_

Ash lowered his head.

"That isn't an excuse enough to almost kill you Gardevoir." Ash said to the pokemon from his side of the battlefield.

Luna seemed astonished that Ash knew what her pokemon said.

"You're saying that I should forgive him?" Luna asked her pokemon.

Gardevoir nodded her head in agreement.

"Fine!" Luna said, she was still a little angry at Ash, but not as much as she was before.

"Are the green corner ready to continue?" The referee asked.

"Yes! We're going to win this!" Luna said as she unattached another pokeball from her belt.

"Blaze! Show 'em what you're made of!"

The pokeball opened and revealed a red dragon like lizard with wings.

Ash and Sceptile smiled. They loved when they faced a type that had the advantage.

"Begin the battle!"

"Blaze! Use Flamethrower!"

"Sceptile, dodge the attack!"

The Charizard began to shoot out several powerful flames at the green lizard, but Sceptile dodge the attacks easily. But Ash noticed that Sceptile began to get tired.

"Sceptile, let's finish this quick with Dragon Claw!"

"Use Dragon Claw you to Blaze!"

The two attacks collided with each other. They seemed to be an even match, but Ash noticed that Sceptile slowly began to be pushed backwards.

"Sceptile! Break the attack!" Ash called, he knew that Sceptile wouldn't manage to keep that up any longer.

Sceptile quickly broke the attack and jumped away.

"Blaze! Take flight!" Luna ordered and her Charizard began to spread his wings.

"_She's playing it right into my arms._" Ash thought with a smirk.

"You know Miss Kurotori, it's a real advantage to have the same pokemon that you're battling against, isn't it?" Ash asked with a little smirk.

"What do you mean?" Luna asked puzzled. "You have a Charizard to?"

"Yes I have, and I know how to defeat them to!" Ash smirked.

Luna seemed to be a little insecure and yelled.

"Blaze! Let's finish this with Flare Blitz!"

"Jump and use Leaf Blade Sceptile!"

Charizard began to dive towards the green lizard, getting more and mote into a ball of fire. Sceptile saw the attack come and jumped with all its strength at the same time as its leaf began to glow. Charizard flew under him and barley missed the attack, at the same time did Sceptile struck his Leaf Blade into the back of Charizard, a grass attack didn't do Charizard much damage, but that wasn't it intended to do either. Charizard's speed was so high by that force the Leaf Blade had given it that he couldn't slow down or straight up, he crashed into the wall in Ash's side.

"Blaze!" Luna yelled terrified.

"Be prepared for another attack Sceptile." Ash ordered his pokemon.

As the dust lowered you could see a panting but angry big read lizard, glowing over it's whole body with fire.

"Looks like your pokemon has lived up to its name!" Ash said with a smile, this was getting more and more fun.

"What do you mean?" Luna asked, amazed by the state her pokemon were in.

"I mean that Blaze has activated Blaze!" Ash stated with another smile.

"Alright!" Luna cheered. "Blaze, use Flamethrower!"

"Dodge it!"

The Charizard were so furious that it mustered all its strength and sent a great flame towards the lizard with such incredible speed that Sceptile hadn't time to dodge it.

"Crap!" Ash yelled as Sceptile crashed to the ground. "Are you alright?"

Sceptile began to pant as well, but he gave Ash a sign, saying that he wanted to continue.

"Good, let's use Pound on him!" Ash ordered.

"Blaze, take flight and dodge the attack!" Luna yelled to her pokemon.

Sceptile began to move towards the red pokemon and tried to struck him with his tail. But Charizard had already gone to far up in the air for Sceptile to reach him.

"Blaze, use Seismic Toss!" Luna cried out to her pokemon.

"Wait for it Sceptile!" Ash ordered calmly.

Charizard began to dive towards Sceptile with such incredible speed that the eye almost couldn't register it.

"_Wait for it..._" Ash thought as the Charizard came closer and closer.

"Now! Use Rock Tomb!" Ash roared to Sceptile.

Sceptile gave the ground a great punch with its tail that made the ground tremble by the force and made rocks and boulders shoot up from it. Once again Charizard didn't have time to slow down or avoid the attack, he came crashing into a huge boulder that were slung up towards him.

"Blaze!" Luna yelled as she saw her Charizard crash to the ground.

Charizard tried to stand up, but his legs started to shake and he fainted on the spot.

"Charizard is unable to battle! The green corner is out of pokemon! The red corner wins the match!" The referee shouted and lowered his flags.

"Blaze return. I'm so proud of you!" Luna said as she recalled her pokemon.

"Great as always Sceptile, she almost had us there." Ash said and recalled his pokemon. He then walked over to Luna.

Luna looked up and saw Ash offer her a hand.

"Great battle, you were the closest to take out one of my pokemon so far!" Ash said with a comforting smile. "And I'm sorry for your Gardevoir."

Luna looked at the hand until she took it.

"Thanks, and it wasn't you fault I would also had gotten angry if someone read my mind." Luna said with a smile. "You're going to get far Satoshi, maybe even win it!"

"Thanks, but we have to see what's going to happen." Ash said with another smile.

"I better go now." Luna said as she reached into her pocket. "Here's my number, call me if you ever get to Hoenn!" She said with another wink and handed Ash the little note.

Ash blushed a little as she ran away, he looked at the note and thought for a second. Then he felt something grab the note from his hand.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" Ash asked the little girl.

"You're not going to call her!" Sarah stated as she ripped the note apart and threw it to the ground.

"Man! Why did I end up with you?" Ash groaned.

"Shut up! Let's go!" Sarah said as she started to drag Ash towards the door. "And you battled really good today!" She added with a smile.

They walked towards the hotel, that was until they heard some familiar voices.

"Grovyle, use Leaf Blade!" It was Max's voice.

"Electivire, use Fire Punch on that pathetic thing." The voice of Paul.

There was some silence before you could hear.

"Grovyle is unable to battle! The red corner is out of pokemon! The green corner wins the match!"

"Looks like Max lost against Paul to." Ash said with a depressed voice.

"That must suck!" Sarah said and felt pity for the geek.

"Yeah."

They continued to walk until the spotted a park, Ash wanted to ignore it but Sarah dragged him towards it. They came out after half an hour, with an electrocuted Sarah and a snickering Ash and Pikachu. Sarah didn't say a word to him until they came to the hotel.

"How many battles is left to battle before you win this?" Sarah asked with curiosity.

"I have to battle six battles, IF I win Sarah." Ash said with slight annoyance. "You should never take things for granted."

"Yeah yeah." Sarah yawned as they walked in.

The hooded Ash noticed that the lobby were empty except for 15 people. Sarah could see Ash clench his fists when he noticed the parents and sisters of Berlitz, Maple, Stone and Waterflower.

"Please Ash, calm down." Sarah whispered to him. Ash could feel Pikachu try to poke him to somehow calm down to, even if he could feel Pikachu's inner rage.

Ash took a deep breath and tried to block the images of him teaching the parents a `lesson´.

"Let's slowly and unnoticed go up to the room." Sarah said quietly to Ash.

Ash nodded and they tried to walk towards the stairs.

"Satoshi! Sarah!" They stopped dead-track when they heard the voice of Dawn.

"Hi Dawn!" Sarah said with a pretended cheerful voice.

"How's this honey?" Johanna asked her daughter.

"This is Sarah and Satoshi, they're siblings from Kanto. Satoshi is participating in the tournament. Did you win?" Dawn asked curious to Ash.

It mustered all of Ash self control to just push out a simple "Yes."

"That's great!" Misty said. "Unfortunately so lost Max his match." She added with a sigh.

"That Paul's a dick!" Max yelled.

"Behave yourself young man!" Norman said to his son. "You won't get any new friends if you behave like that!"

"But you saw what he did! He almost tortured my pokemon!" Max said to his father, refused to give in.

"True, but you were also too stubborn to recall them. A trainer knows when his pokemon have had enough, isn't that right Satoshi?" Norman said and turned to Ash.

"Yes..." Ash said through clenched teeth.

"Your father is right Max." Caroline said as she walked up to her son. "You need to know your pokemon's boundaries, or many bad things could happen!"

Ash clenched his fists even more, he could also feel Pikachu spark inside his backpack, Sarah gave them a worried look. Ash slowly started to move to the room.

"So Satoshi," Gary said to him. "How did it go for you in your battle?"

"Good..." Ash just said, not letting his covered eyes letting go of the parents.

"I see..." Gary said, he seemed a little worried by Satoshi's refuse to answer his questions.

"You can't let that Paul's comments get to you Max!" Norman scolded his son. "If you do, anything can happen, just look at Ash! He couldn't handle it and disappeared!"

Ash felt like something had burst inside of him. He charged forward towards Norman and threw a right fist into his face.

The girls screamed and the boys gasped as Norman flew and hit the wall on the other side. The group looked over to the place that Ash had stood, just to find that he was gone.

"What's his problem?!?" Flint roared as he tried to help Norman up. "Is he insane!?"

The whole room turned to Sarah, she were red in the face. But not from embarrassment or lack of air, she was red of anger.

Sarah turned to Norman and said.

"You talk about making friends and protect them, like you were familiar with those words..."

"What are you talking about!" Norman said angrily as he held his bleeding nose.

"Let me tell you a story!" Sarah almost yelled. "It's a story about a trainer from Pallet Town! When he was ten years old he got his first pokemon, he saved the world countless of times and befriended several people and pokemon, he had a great life. Until he got defeated by his worst rival, but he didn't let it take him down! He walked home, just to see his mother get killed! Do you know who I'm talking about?!?"

The group nodded, they were familiar with their old friend's story.

"You know the beginning of the story, but only a few knows the rest!" Sarah yelled, the parents started to feel a little uncomfortable. "I don't think that you know that his friends' parents came to his house after the funeral and accused him for his mother's death and told him to leave his friends and let the forest kill him!"

"We didn't said that he would die!" Flint yelled.

The kids eyes grew huge, they felt so many mixed feelings. Anger, sadness, betrayal. They glared at their parents.

"That still doesn't explain why Satoshi attacked me!" Norman yelled and ignored the glares that he got from the children. "The only thing we have understood is that your brother is a maniac!"

"He isn't my brother." Sarah said with low voice. "My name is Sarah Williams! His name is Ash Satoshi Ketchum!!" She yelled the last three words with all her might and then ran away.

There were dead silent in the room. May only had one thought in her head. "_He's alive!_" The other children had similar thoughts in their heads, but they also had another kind of thoughts as they looked at their parents.

"Let us explain..." Lola started.

"Explain WHAT?!?" Brock roared. "How you sent away our best friend to an almost certain death?!?"

"Don't you understand!?!" Lily cried out. "His interference with Team Rocket and the others would've gotten you killed!"

"He saved all our life's countless of times!" Misty yelled to her sister. "He even risked his own several times just to save us!!"

The parents were quiet, they didn't know what they should say. They had lied for their children for over four years.

Max couldn't believe his ears and eyes, the man that he had looked up to, his hero, had betrayed his best friend and lied to him.

"What do you want us to do then?!?" Caroline screamed. "Find him and apologize?!"

"No..." Gary said with a low and deadly voice. "You're not worthy to talk to Ash right now, we want you away from this island, we don't want you to try and contact us, we will contact you... maybe."

Their parents looked like they wanted to say something, but they kept quite and walked out from the door.

There was a silence in the room for several minutes.

"He's alive!" May squealed so everybody could hear.

The group looked at each other, Ash is alive, and he's here. They all started to laugh with joy.

* * *

"Satoshi!!" Sarah yelled as she tried to run up to him.

"You can call me Ash now, I think you told them who I am, didn't you?" Ash asked with a tired voice.

"Sorry." Sarah said and looked down to the ground.

"Don't worry, it would've come out sooner or later." Ash said and then he sighed. "This is what I meant with do something that I would regret later. The past four years I had dreamed of how it would be to meet them again, it was nothing like this."

"Are you going to meet them again?" Sarah asked carefully.

"I don't know. I don't think I've ever felt this lost in my entire life." Ash said sadly as Pikachu rubbed his cheek against Ash's.

"Are you gonna go back to the hotel?"

"I think I'll sleep out this night, but you should go back to the hotel." Ash said in a commanding but yet sad voice.

"But I want to stay here!" Sarah tried.

Ash gave her a look that made her shiver.

"Fine, I'll go back to my room." Sarah said sadly. "But then I can't see who you're going to battle!"

"That's how I want it." Ash stated.

"Why?"

"Because this battle is personal..." Ash said as he pulled down his hood and walked towards the woods.

"I'll see you tomorrow Sarah!"

"See you tomorrow, Ash..." Sarah said with a low voice as she turned back to sneak into her room unnoticed.

**End of Chapter 11**

* * *

**He's alive! (But we all knew that... But now his friends know that he's alive!)**

**I'm going to let you guess why this next battle is so personal to Ash ;)**

**Don't forget to vote!**

**Another reminder: If you want you can send me event that's going to happen (Via mail)**

**See you in the next chapter!**

**(Don't be afraid to review, I want both good and bad reviews! (But not bad things about the advanceshipping part))**

**R&R  
**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12 is up!**

**That's probably the last chapter I'm going to give you until next year, I'm going away for a vacation. (But who knows!)**

**I'm not going to tell you what the score is on the Tracey versus Gary votes, I'm just going to remind you to vote on them! (One vote per chapter!)**

**Don't forget to review when you have read the chapter!**

**I got some requests to make this story a little more fluffy so I tried to do that.**

**Enjoy the chapter!  
**

**R&R**

* * *

Ash woke up with a yawn, he looked around the forest to check if anyone were close, not even a Pidgey were there.

He looked down to the little rodent that were sleeping on his stomach, he then picked it up and got up from his half-laying position at the tree. He didn't have any problems sleeping like that, he had done it for four years, you get used to it.

"Come on buddy, time to get up." Ash said with a kind and low voice to his pokemon.

"Chaaa!" Pikachu yawned as he stretched on himself and then started to rub his little yellow cheeks against Ash's.

"That's good Pi!" Ash chuckled. "Are you ready for today?"

Pikachu started to look serious and looked at its trainer, it then nodded and gave him a little salute with its paw.

"That's great, I've been waiting for this battle for so long..." Ash said as he got up and began to walk towards his battlefield.

* * *

Sarah opened her eyes, she didn't know why but she had slept in Ash's bed tonight. She looked around and started to look after him, then she remembered what had happened yesterday. She got up and started to get dressed from her nightclothes to her normal clothes. She then walked to brush her teeth.

She stopped when she heard a knocking at the door, happily she thought it was Ash that had come to get her, that he had regretted his decision, that he didn't want to battle alone. She skipped to the door and opened it.

She was very surprised to see a group of seven people stand in front of her. The person that stood closest were the short geek with glasses. Sarah thought if she should close the door and jump out through the window. Then the brunette started to talk.

"Is Ash here?"

Sarah observed her, it looked like she hadn't got any sleep, but she was still very attractive, she looked like she were both happy, nervous, sad and... angry?

"No he isn't." Sarah said carefully.

"Are you gonna tell us where he is?" Gary asked.

"Nope!" Sarah said with her cheerful teasing voice.

"We are his friends you know!" Dawn said with an annoyed voice.

"What kind of friends would abandon him when he needed them the most!?" Sarah hissed at them without thinking.

May could feel tears build up in her eyes again, Sarah noticed that and regretted immediately what she had said.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it!" Sarah said, afraid that May's going to cry again, Ash would be furious if he heard what she had done.

"It's okay," May said as she dried her eyes. "it's just that we want to meet him."

Sarah could see then pain in her eyes, she also wanted to see him.

"I don't know where he is, he told me to go up to our room and stay there. I think he's sleeping in the woods." Sarah stated. "He said that he wanted to battle this battle alone."

"Alone? Why? Who's going to face?" The group started to shoot questions at the poor girl.

"How the hell should I know?!?" She yelled frustrated, the group flinched by her rough choice of words.

"So, what are we going to do now?" Tracey asked.

"Well, we can split up in groups." Gary replied with a smirk. "I go with Misty, May goes with Dawn, Sarah goes with Max and you go with Brock."

After those words there were two mouths that started to shout.

"Why can't I go with Misty?!" From Tracey.

"Why do I have to go with the geek?!?" From Sarah.

May and Dawn started to giggle, Brock didn't know if he should laugh or be insulted and Misty just seemed confused.

* * *

Ash had arrived at the field.

"_Well,_" Ash thought. "_Now can I at least not hide who I am anymore. The battles before was just red versus green corner, now they're going to broadcast the battles, that means that they will say my name, region and hometown._"

Ash took a sigh and said to his faithful little rodent on his shoulder.

"Here goes nothing Pi."

He then walked into the battlefield with his hood pulled over his head.

Ash and Pikachu watched their opponent with pure hate. He looked into the purple haired trainer's black eyes and registered every move he made.

Paul looked at his opponent with a slight confusing look, he had no idea why that man acted so cold against him, but that didn't matter. He was going to defeat him, whoever he was.

"I know that trainer hun!" Harley whispered into Paul's ear. "That's the same one that beat up that trainer Spike in the mall!"

Paul scanned the trainer, he couldn't see so much of him due to his cloak and hood, but he could see his strong built body, he could also see the glimmer of his eyes from the sun that were coming in from the roof.

"This is the first battle in the elimination rounds!" The referee shouted.

There were only five people there. Ash, Paul, Harley, the referee and the cameraman.

"In the green corner we have Paul Slaid from Veilstone City in Sinnoh!" The referee said as he pointed the green flag towards Paul.

Paul smiled, his name were soon to be legendary.

"In the red corner we have Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town in Kanto!"

Paul and Harley froze at those words.

"It can' be! He's dead!" Paul shouted to nobody particular.

"I see you're disappointed..." Ash said with his cold voice, his Pikachu sat and glared at Paul also.

Paul started to feel something that he hadn't felt for a long time... fear.

"Come on hun!" Harley said to Paul. "You've beaten him before, you can do it again!"

By those words Paul looked like he had regained his self-assurance.

"Well Ketchum, looks like you're going to get beaten again..." Paul said with a smirk.

From Paul's view it looked like Ash didn't do any response. But Ash smiled under his hood.

"This will be a one on one battle with three pokemon at disposal, substitutions is allowed! There will be no time-limit! The battle is over when all of the pokemon of one corner are unable to battle!" The referee shouted as he raised both of his flags. "Paul Slaid, send out your first pokemon!"

"Ursaring, standby for battle!" Paul shouted as he summoned the big bear pokemon from its ball.

"Pi, let's go." Ash said with a silent voice.

Pikachu jumped down from Ash's shoulder and landed in a battle position.

"You still haven't evolved that pathetic rat?" Paul asked mocking.

"Have you forgot that I told you that the evolved stage of a pokemon isn't everything?" Ash asked with his calm mature voice.

Paul opened his mouth but didn't have time to respond before the referee shouted.

"Begin the match!"

"Pikachu, start circle around that overgrown teddy-bear." Ash ordered his pokemon.

"Slash!" Paul shouted.

Ursaring began to start to threw his right arm after the little mouse pokemon, but Pikachu's speed and coordination made it almost impossible.

"You're underestimating my pokemon Paul, why are you doing that?" Ash asked with a smile.

"Shut up!" Paul yelled, he was getting frustrated. "Use Bulk Up!"

Ursaring began to glow red and roar.

"Use Thunderbolt on him Pi!" Ash shouted to his pokemon.

"Pikachuuu!!" Pikachu cried as he unleashed a yellow lightning towards the bear.

Paul smirked.

"Like that's going to do something Ketchum, your rat is too..."

Paul stopped in his sentence as he heard his pokemon roar with pain as the lightning struck him.

"I told you not to underestimate my pokemon Paul." Ash said with a bored voice, but deep inside he smiled.

"Payback Ursaring!" Paul shouted.

Ursaring began to glow with a dark aura as he came charging towards the little pokemon.

"Pikachu, counter-shield." Ash said calmly.

Pikachu began to spin on the floor and sending out barriers of electricity. The attack made Ursaring stop in his track and roar in pain as the lightning struck him.

"Don't stop your pathetic pokemon!" Paul cried angrily at Ursaring.

Ursaring tried to ignore the pain and charge forward, but Pikachu spun around and sent out many more powerful lightnings towards Ursaring.

Ursaring roared in pain as he fainted.

"What?!?" Paul yelled.

"As I told you before, you should not underestimate my pokemon." Ash said with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Ursaring is unable to battle! Pikachu wins the match!" The referee said.

"I'll deal with you later!" Paul muttered to his pokemon as he recalled it.

"Magmortar, standby for battle!" Paul roared as he summoned his big fire-pokemon.

"Wow Paul, I'm impressed." Ash said truthfully. "You've kept two pokemon for so long, that have to be a new record, isn't it?"

"Shut up Ketchum!" Paul yelled furiously.

"Begin the match!"

"Flamethrower!" Paul ordered his big pokemon.

"Dodge it Pi, and continue dodge his attacks." Ash said with his calm, stern voice.

Magmortar began to fire attack after attack at the little rodent, but Pikachu dodged the attacks skillfully without any problem.

They continued like that for several minutes until Paul shouted.

"Earthquake on that pitiful rat!"

"Pikachu, take a great leap into the air and then give back with Iron Tail!" Ash said quickly.

Magmortar raised his right feet at the same time as Pikachu bent his legs, when Magmortar smashed his foot into the ground Pikachu pushed away from the ground and went high into the air. Paul's legs started to shake by the force of the attack, but Ash remained unaffected. Pikachu began to come closer and closer towards Magmortar from the air.

"Shoot him down with Hyper Beam!" Paul roared.

"Do a spin dodge!"

Magmortar raised his two cannons that had begun to glow with a yellow-orange light and released a powerful attack towards the little rodent. Pikachu rotated his body and barley dodge the attack. The little rodent's tail began to glow bright white as he aimed in towards the immobilized duck-pokemon. Pikachu struck his tail with a incredible force at Magmortar, even if he was resistant to that attack he couldn't help than roar in pain.

"Carp!" Ash said as he saw Pikachu turn into a little fireball for a short moment, Magmortar's Flame Body had affected him.

"Do you remember this Ketchum?" Paul asked mockingly and were referring to their battle four and a half year ago, a full six on six battle when Pikachu got hit by the burn and Ash lost with a major defeat.

"I remember it alright." Ash said with his calm voice as he saw his little rodent get hurt for every moment by the burn attack. "I've been training for the past four years to prevent this!"

"Thunder!" Ash roared to his pokemon.

"Fire Blast!" Paul roared also.

Pikachu shoot away a lightning so strong that the spectators had to cover their eyes and Magmortar's canons began to almost melt as he shoot out a powerful flame, shaped as a human.

The attacks collided with a incredible force and it looked like they were even.

"Looks like we are even in this battle Ketchum!" Paul smirked at him.

"We WERE even Paul." Ash said with his calm voice.

Paul gave him a confused look that then turned to a look of horror as Pikachu came charging towards the already panting Magmortar as a living bolt of lightning.

"Unleash the Volt Tackle!" Ash roared as Pikachu jumped up and headed straight towards Magmortar.

"Take that son of a Bellsprout out of my sight!" Paul yelled at his pokemon.

Magmortar began to raise his arms, but then he got hit by the Volt Tackle straight into the face. Pikachu yelled in power and pain as he sent Magmortar flying into the wall.

"Get up!" Paul roared to his pokemon, his voice were filled with anger.

"Magmortar is...." The referee started.

"Shut up! He's not out yet!" Paul roared as he began to kick his pokemon lightly with his foot to make him come up again.

"He's out Paul!" Ash roared to him.

Paul sent Ash a death-glare before he recalled his pokemon.

"Was that the best you could do?" Paul asked his fainted pokemon with his voice filled with anger.

Paul took a look at the rodent, it was a little tired, but it also looked like it could put up a good fight.

"Did you see that?" Paul heard the cameraman whisper to the referee. "That guy got totally owned by that Ash-guy."

Paul were filled with rage, he was not going to lose.

"_I better not take any chances._" Paul thought as he took another ball in his hand.

"Torterra! Standby for battle!"

Ash looked at the big plant-pokemon.

"Pikachu," Ash said to his rodent. "I know that you can take him on. But I don't want you to get unnecessary hurt."

Pikachu looked at its trainer, then he understood what he meant.

"Return Pi."

Pikachu jumped up to Ash's shoulder again.

"You did great buddy."

"What are you doing Ketchum?!" Paul yelled over to Ash. "We're not done yet!"

"No we aren't." Ash said. "I just don't want my pokemon to take unnecessary damage."

Paul sneered.

"_I know I did a right choice to exchange this pokemon with Donphan._" Ash thought with a smile.

"Infernape, battle stance!" Ash yelled as his flame-monkey came out from its ball.

Paul's eyes narrowed at the sight of the pokemon.

"See anything familiar Paul?" Ash asked with a hint of anger in his voice as he remembered the time when Paul was Chimchar's trainer.

"I see you've kept that pathetic excuse for a pokemon." Paul said with a sick smile. "This is going to be easy."

"Then why haven't you attacked yet?" Ash smirked.

Paul's only respond were.

"Leaf Storm!"

Torterra shot out several sharp leaves against Infernape.

"Flamethrower Infernape!" Ash ordered.

The attacks collided with each other, but Infernape's attack were more powerful and began to burn the leaves and then the attack collided with Torterra.

Ash's eyes grew a little bit as he saw that Torterra didn't seem to care of the attack.

"Use Earthquake Torterra!" Paul yelled.

"Mach Punch!"

Torterra raised himself to his back legs and then started to crash towards the ground, but then he suddenly became hit by a forceful punch at its jaw. The attack from Infernape caused Torterra to flinch, but his Earthquake still came as he made contact to the ground.

Infernape gritted his teeth as he suffered damage from the attack.

"Are you okay Infernape?" Ash asked with concern.

"Ape!" Infernape responded with a thumb up.

"That's good." Ash said. "Hit him with Flamethrower!"

"Take the attack!" Paul shouted.

Infernape began to charge towards Torterra.

"Hold on Infernape!" Ash called. "Don't go to close!"

Infernape nodded and stayed on a safe distance and began to shoot several Flamethrowers towards Torterra.

Paul gritted his teeth as he saw his pokemon take the damage and not do anything.

"Why aren't you attacking Paul!?" Harley yelled from the side of the field.

"He can't!" Ash responded. "He's waiting for the right moment to attack, but now Infernape's just standing there and shoots attacks at Torterra!"

Harley seemed amazed that Paul's strategy were so simple.

"I really thought that you had changed Paul, at least a little." Ash said with a sad voice. "What are you going to do Paul? You can't win this battle!"

"Shut up!" Paul roared. "Torterra! Use Razor Leafs!"

Torterra sent out another swarm of sharp leafs towards Infernape. But the Flamethrower burnt them away.

"Face it Paul!" Ash said frustrated. "You can't win! Recall your pokemon!"

"I will not! Energy Ball!"

The same results happened. But now the ball exploded in Torterra's face due to the flames.

"You're not giving me another choice." Ash said with a sad voice.

"Infernape!" Ash called, Infernape stopped his attacks and looked at his master. "Land on Torterra's back!"

Infernape nodded and took a great leap that made him land on the big grass-pokemon.

"Use Giga Drain!" Paul ordered.

"Flamethrower to take it away!"

Infernape shot out a strong flame that made the green vines disappear and Torterra to grunt in pain.

"Now, Blast Burn on the tree!" Ash roared, he didn't want to do it, but Paul gave him no choice.

Infernape began to scream as he felt his body being charged up with power, he opened his mouth and out came one of the most powerful flames that the spectators had ever seen. Torterra roared in pain as the attack made contact with the tree on its back. When Infernape was done with the attack it took a great jump and landed in front of Ash.

Torterra were lying on the ground, the smoke were erupting from its back.

"Get up!" Paul shouted. "Get up, or else!"

"It's over Paul! Can't you see it?!?" Ash roared with anger. "Your pokemon did everything in its power to help you! Let it rest!"

Paul looked at Ash. Paul then looked at his pokemon and felt something in his heart. Pity, he felt pity for his pokemon as it laid there in pain.

Paul took up his pokeball and recalled Torterra. He then looked at the ball for a few seconds.

"Thank you." He said with a low voice. He then walked out from the arena.

"The green corner is out of pokemon! The red corner wins the match!" The referee shouted, he didn't care that both opponents had left.

Ash walked with Pikachu on his shoulder, he didn't know where he was going, but he felt like he wanted to spend some time with his pokemon. He began to walk towards the woods again.

* * *

"We can't just sit here!"

The voice from the annoyed Misty had got everyone's attention. They had been sitting in the restaurant with Sarah, waiting for Ash.

"You got a better idea?" Brock asked tiredly and a little sarcastic.

"Don't talk to her like that!" Gary hissed at him.

The group gave Gary a strange look.

"What?" He asked and ignored Tracey's glare.

"By the way Gary, thanks!" Sarah said with her happy cheerful voice.

"Thanks for what?" Gary asked puzzled.

"Don't you recognize something?" Sarah asked as she jumped down from her chair and made a little twirl.

Gary seemed to look confused, but then he recognized the clothes and could put two and two together. He grew pale in the face and started to sweat.

"Hey Gary, what's up?" Dawn asked confused, the group had noticed Gary's paleness.

"Nothing, right Sarah?" Gary said and prayed that it would work.

"Yeah, nothing!" Sarah said as she giggled.

Max was about to say something until May interrupted him.

"Look at the screen!"

The group turned around and watched the screen. They saw a Infernape fight against a Torterra, then they saw the ape release a powerful attack that knocked out the plant-pokemon.

"**The thing that you just saw was the stunning victory from Ash Ketchum facing Paul Slaid.**" The TV said. "**Mr. Ketchum managed to take out all of Mr. Slaid's pokemon without loosing a single one! We had a familiar battle when...**" The group stopped listen to the TV and looked at each other.

"So THAT'S what he meant with the personal battle!" Sarah said happily.

"He took out all of Paul's pokemon without loosing a single one of his!" Max screamed.

He earned a hit in the head from his sister for his outburst.

"Shut up Max! The whole room is looking at us!"

"But I didn't even take out one of Paul's pokemon!" Max said in a little lower voice.

"Told you he was good!" Sarah said with a wink towards the group.

"Look!" Tracey said. "It says that he battled in building number 15! Let's go there!"

"Great idea Tracey!" Misty said as the group got up from the table.

Tracey blushed at Misty's comment.

The group made their way towards the battlefield.

"So, what are you gonna do when you meet him?" Sarah asked curiously.

The group mumbled something she couldn't hear. That caused Sarah to make a little frown.

"Excuse me!" Dawn said to a person that were walking out of building number 15. "Have you seen a guy with a hood named Ash Ketchum?"

"Yeah, I was the referee to his match." The man started. "Why do you ask?"

"We was wondering if you could tell us where he went after the battle." Misty replied.

"Well, he said to his Pikachu that they would go to the place that they had found to train..." The referee then became silent. "But I don't think that he wants fan-girls around him."

The last comment made the female's in the group furious, Dawn looked like she wanted to rip the referee apart. Sarah would've done it if it weren't for that Brock restrained her.

"We aren't any fans, we're his friends." Tracey explained calmly.

"Well, whatever you are, I don't know where he left. He just said to his pokemon that they should go to their training spot."

With those words the referee walked away.

"Sarah, do you know where Ash..." Brock started, but he went quite when he saw that the girl wasn't here anymore.

"Where's Sarah?" Brock asked the group.

They looked around and saw a little girl run towards the woods. The group began to run after her, but they kept quite.

* * *

Ash had his eyes closed as he stood by the little lake in the glade. He had found the place on the second day he had got here, he suspected that Sarah one time had followed him here, but he doubted that she would find the way to it again.

Ash looked over to his pokemon and saw Floatzel, Infernape, Pikachu and Sceptile walk or sleep on the grass. Ash knew that his Pidgeot were up in the trees and his Lucario were standing guard for intruders, it wasn't Ash's order but Lucario did it anyway.

"_**Master...**_"

The sound of Lucario's aura made Ash open his eyes.

"_**What is it Lucario?**_" Ash asked.

"_**I can sense the little girl's aura coming this way, and behind her is seven other unfamiliar auras.**_" Lucario said with his aura. "_**Should I stop them?**_"

Ash thought about it for a moment. He then shook his head and said to the aura pokemon.

"_**No Lucario, it's time to face my past. Let them all come through, you can come back to.**_"

"_**Yes, master.**_" Lucario communicated.

Ash let out a loud, short whistle. His pokemon gathered around him.

"The others are coming, I'm going to recall you." Ash said to his pokemon.

The pokemon nodded and Ash took out four pokeballs, he recalled Pidgeot, Floatzel, Sceptile and Infernape. Pikachu jumped up on his shoulder.

Ash turned towards the forest with his hood pulled over, he saw Lucario come out from the bushes but made a quick gesture to his aura pokemon to hide instead. Lucario nodded and withdrew himself to the trees.

"Are you ready Pi?" Ash asked his companion.

"Pika." Pikachu said shortly.

"Me neither." Ash said with a little smile.

"Ash!" The voice of the girl made Ash's smile to turn serious again.

"Yes Sarah?"

"The others are looking for you! I came so quick as I could, I don't think they followed me!" Sarah said proudly but panting.

"Then you thought wrong." Ash said calmly.

Sarah gave him a puzzled look but then followed his gaze, she saw the group stand behind her, panting as well.

There was a silence, nobody spoke a word. Ash and Pikachu stared at the group and the group stared at Ash with Sarah in the middle.

May couldn't believe that Ash stood in front of her, he had been gone for four years, they all thought that he were dead. And now he stood here fully alive!

Brock was the first to speak.

"Is... Is it really you Ash?"

"I think so." Ash said with his stern voice, he didn't know what other voice he should use.

Ash watched as Max made his way to Ash, he then pulled Ash into a hug. Ash was a little taken back by the gesture but gave Max a quick hug in return. Then Brock came and did the same thing, Tracey and Gary also did it.

Ash looked at the girls, so far so good. They still stood there without showing any emotions.

Dawn began to walk to Ash, after her were Misty and then May.

Dawn gave Ash a long hug. Ash smiled at her, then he got a slap inn the face.

"What was that for?!" Ash asked angrily.

Dawn didn't answer, she just walked over to the rest of the group.

Then Misty came and pulled Ash into a hug, she also gave him a slap in the face afterward.

"For Mew's sake woman!" Ash said as he rubbed his assaulted cheek.

"That was for you disappeared for four years and never let us know if you were alive or dead!" Misty and Dawn yelled at him at the same time.

"And also for what you did to May when you left!" Misty said angrily.

Ash and the other guys in the group gave her a confused look, he then looked over to May. May stood right in front of him.

"_OK Ash, don't get yourself slapped again. Say something that she can't be angry at you for..._"

"Umm... Hi?" Ash said a little insecure. "_Smooth Ash, very smooth..._"

"Hi? HI?!?" May yelled at him, she then raised her hand and gave him a slap that almost sent him to the ground.

"You disappears for four years!" May yelled as she made a gesture to slap him again. "And all you have to say to me is HI!?"

She sent her hand flying to Ash again, but she felt Ash grab her hand carefully.

"Then what should I say?" Ash asked with a calm, comforting voice.

He saw May's eyes began to water up. She moved closer and wrapped her arms around Ash's back and started to sob into his chest. Ash was a little surprised by that in the beginning, but then he took his arms and wrapped them around her as well.

Ash gave the group a confusing look. Brock, Max, Gary and Tracey looked equally confused as Ash, but Dawn, Misty and Sarah looked understanding.

"May..." Ash said after five minutes. "You can let go of me now."

May seemed to hesitate a minute first, but then she took her arms away and backed a few steps from Ash.

"Thanks" Ash said with a smile.

"Take off your hood." May said silently.

"What?" Ash replied confused.

"Take off your hood, I want to see if it's really you." May said silently again, she couldn't believe that Ash was here.

Ash hesitated. But then he slowly pulled down his hood. He then looked at the group.

The group gasped as they spotted Ash. They had expected the face of the childish immature boy that they had known four years ago. But before them stood a young man with short black hair ,with a black sash around his head, his face wasn't the boyish playfully face that they had come to known, it was a mature, handsome and strict face. The thing that really told them that it was him was the eyes, even if the didn't show the same warmth that they used to do. That was until Ash set his eyes on a special brunette.

"Anything else you want me to take off?" Ash asked a little teasingly to May.

May blushed.

"Ash! There are girls here!" Misty scold him.

Ash turned to Misty.

"Oh yeah, I forgot. You're a girl!"

Even if Ash didn't mean it the group still thought that he was the same dense Ash that they had known for four years ago. That meant of course the same punishment for him.

"Ash..." Sarah asked with a quiet voice. "How did Misty get a mallet?"

Ash didn't respond, he just smiled as Misty came charging towards him with the giant hammer. The group closed their eyes as they prepared for the powerful impact. But it never came.

They looked up and saw Ash holding the mallet and Misty laying on the grass, Ash had disarmed her and then thrown her on the grass.

"You still think that I'm the same boy for four years ago?" Ash asked with a smile.

Ash's smile then turned into a frown and he continued.

"The boy that you used to know died four years, I'm nothing but a shadow of the Ash Ketchum that you knew."

"Don't talk like that!" May yelled as she ran and hugged him again. "You're the same! You've just not found yourself!"

"Thanks May." Ash said smiling.

May looked up to face his kind eyes filled with warmth, she closed her eyes and started to move closer with her lips. Ash saw her movement and started to do the same thing. The world around them didn't seem to exist. It was just a few millimeters between their lips...

"Get a room you two!" Sarah said as she punched Ash in the guts.

"Ouch! What the hell Sarah!" Ash said angrily as he rubbed the place that the little fist had made an impact. "What was that for?"

"That was for you couldn't keep your hormones under control!" Sarah said angrily and made a gesture to Ash and May, that were blushing a deep shade of red.

Ash ignored the girl and smiled to May. He then turned to Brock.

"How can you survive that?" He asked his long time friend.

"You get used to it." Brock said with reassurance.

"Yeah, I think Max going to need to do that to. Isn't that right Sarah?" Ash said with a wink.

"Hey!" They both shouted. Ash started to laugh.

"Well, it's getting dark." Ash said after a moment. "We should be going back."

"Yeah!" The group said and began to walk towards the hotel.

At the way to the hotel Ash discretely recalled his Lucario that had been hidden in the bushes. He then looked at May and the others. "_I'm sure the questions will come sooner or later._" Ash thought with a sigh. "_I'm just happy that it isn't today_" He added with a little smile. He then saw the hotel.

**End of Chapter 12**

* * *

**Well that was nice, wasn't it?**

**Looks like Paul showed his well-hidden good side in the end!**

**Don't forget to vote and review (It's much nicer to write if you get many reviews!)!**

**If you have some events that you want me to write, don't hesitate to send them in (via mail!)**

**I would like you to use your login-name when you review, if you have one. I would like to be able to respond my reviewers fast!**

**I see you in the next chapter!  
**


	13. Chapter 13

**Here's the next chapter!**

**I know I said that I said that I would probably not put another chapter up before Christmas. But it felt like **XemoXskaterX **dared me to do it! (But this is the last chapter before Christmas.)**

**Don't forget to vote!**

**And I want to remind you on another vote to: In my profile I've put up a poll, I want you to vote what my next story should be about in it!**

**Feel free to review! (But I would like the constructive criticism from a user that's not anonymous!)**

**I got some complains on Ash's personality. I can agree with you that I maybe changed it to fast. But I tried to make it look like he thought that he didn't have any emotions anymore and then he met the little girl that almost managed to get him back to his "normal self", and then when he met May he's almost back at his new mature but yet joking self. **

**I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!**

**R&R!  
**

* * *

Ash's eyes opened, he had one of those dreams again. He had seen the same scene the past four years. His mother lying on the ground and he stood helplessly and watched. Ash dried the little tear that had been running down his cheek.

"Pi?" His little pokemon asked carefully.

"Yeah, it happened again." Ash said silently. "But what's done is done, and we're back with the others!" He added with a smile.

"Pika!"

Ash walked up from his bed and walked over to Sarah's room, he then took out the key from his pocket and locked up her door.

The girl seemed to still be sleeping so he let her be, he wrote her a note that he had went down for breakfast.

"It's good to know that we don't need to hide you in the backpack anymore, right Pi?" Ash asked his companion.

"Pikachu, Pika pikaPi!" Pikachu stated.

"Hey! I wash my clothes!" Ash said slightly hurt as he walked down the stairs with the little rodent at his shoulder.

Pikachu only snickered.

* * *

May opened her eyes and began to yawn.

"Had a nice sleep May?" Misty asked her brunette friend.

"Yeah, I dreamed that Ash had come back to our group." May said with a smile.

"That wasn't a dream May!" Misty said with a smile. "He really did it."

May didn't know why, but she started to squeal with happiness. Misty watched her friend with a smile.

"And you two also almost kissed!" Misty added with a wink.

May blushed deep red by that comment.

"Come on!" May said as she tried to change the subject. "Let's go down!"

Misty shook her head as she heard Dawn emerge from the bathroom.

"You coming to Dawn?" May asked.

"Sure, let's go and see your boyfriend!" Dawn said with her cheerful voice.

"He isn't my boyfriend anymore!" May said without thinking, she quickly clasped her hands over her mouth.

"Anymore?" Misty asked with a grin.

"I'm starting to feel hungry, see yah!" May yelled as she ran down towards the cafeteria.

"_Why did I say that?!? They're going to tease me forever now!_" May groaned as she ran. "_Why didn't I just..._" May couldn't continue as she ran into a person that were walking down the stairs, they both fell towards the end of the stairs with May on top.

"I'm so sorry!" May said as she tried to get up.

"I know that you're angry at me May, but you could at least tell me before you decides to push me down the stairs..." An annoyed Ash said as he got up.

"Ash!" May said as she got up and hugged him. "I've missed you!"

"Umm, yeah, I've missed you to. But we were just from each other one night." Ash said slight confused.

"Oh yeah, you're right..." May said sheepishly, but she didn't let go of Ash.

"Isn't that cute?!?" Dawn squealed to Misty as they stood on the last stair step.

May and Ash broke the hug quickly.

"It isn't what it looks like!" May started. "I fell on Ash and then we got up and..."

"Yeah yeah, whatever you say May..." Misty said with a mocking smile.

Ash and Pikachu just laughed as he he started to walk towards the cafeteria.

The cafeteria was almost empty, they were rather late. But Ash's battle shouldn't be starting for a long time so they had time to take it easy. Ash walked in and picked up a tray and began to mass food on it. Pikachu watched in amazement as he from time to time took his little paw and grabbed something from Ash's tray.

When Ash was done he sat down at a table near the windows, he watched and saw that the girls were coming towards him and Gary and Tracey had just arrived down the stairs. Ash saw Dawn whisper something in May and Misty's ears, Misty began to giggle and May turned into a deep shade of red.

"Did I miss something?" Ash asked calmly as they sat down by his table.

"No, nothing!" Misty said giggling.

Ash shrugged his shoulder and began eating, even if he had a slight thought about what they were whispering about he decided to ignore it.

"Morning Misty!" Tracey's cheerful voice broke the silence.

"Good morning Tracey and Gary!" Misty responded with a little tired tone.

The two other girls sighed and Ash became annoyed.

"You know, just because I've been away for four years doesn't that mean that I don't exist anymore. And the same thing with May and Dawn." Ash said calmly but a little threatening.

"Calm down Ashy-boy!" Gary said with his cool voice.

The girls started to giggle again.

"What's so funny?" Ash asked with his deep voice.

"Ashy-boy sounds girly!" Dawn said as she erupted into laughter.

The group were awaiting a furious response from Ash. But instead he just said, to the whole groups surprise.

"Really? I never thought about it."

Gary seemed to had lost his teasing mood, but then he picked it up again.

"Yeah Ashy-boy, you're probably the one that have used dresses by all the guys in the group!"

The girls and Tracey began to roar with laughter. Ash just smiled and waited for the laughter to calm down once again.

"I don't think so Gary, remember also that I did it because I had to." He said with a calm voice. Then he added. "Unlike others..." and stared on Gary.

The table seemed to be confused and Gary started to turn pale again and sweat.

"What do you mean Ash?" May asked with confusion.

"I don't think that I should go on with this conversation, right Gary?" Ash asked smiling.

"R...Right Ash." Gary said and regained some color.

Pikachu started to snicker again, that was until a pokeball opened.

"Buneary!" cried the little rabbit pokemon as she thew herself towards Pikachu.

Pikachu quickly dodge the attack and retreated into Ash's sweater.

"Hey! Get out of there Pikachu!" Ash said as he tried to push out his little pokemon.

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted.

"Well, welcome to the real life buddy." Ash replied with a slightly amused tone. "Mind if you recall your Buneary?" Ash asked Dawn.

"Sure..." Dawn said puzzled and recalled the crying rabbit.

Pikachu peeked out from Ash's jersey collar, he then jumped out and began to eat from Ash's plate once again.

"I thought Pikachu liked Buneary." May said with confusion.

"Correction." Ash said as he took another bit from his sandwich. "Buneary likes Pikachu, I would maybe even call it love. But Pikachu doesn't feel attraction towards the little rabbit, his eyes is instead on..."

Ash didn't come further as Pikachu gave him a weak Thunderbolt to shut him up.

"So, who do Pikachu fancy?" Dawn asked curiously.

"Why don't you ask Pikachu?" Ash smiled a little evil smirk.

Dawn turned to Pikachu just to be faced by a sparking, growling little rodent.

"I don't think I will!" Dawn stated hastily.

"Good choice." Ash responded.

"Hi guys!" Came the voice from Max.

"Morning Max." They all responded. "Where's Brock?"

Max face darkened a bit.

"Guess..." He then said.

They heard a loud voice coming from the reception.

"My beautiful princess! Love has guided my way to your fortress, now let us..."

Then there was silence for a moment before they heard.

"I... should... have... had... a.... ladder..."

"So, he's still like that?" Ash asked with an amused smile.

"Unfortunately, yes." Misty responded him.

The group watched Croagunk drag him towards them and then let him down on the floor and then return himself to his pokeball.

"I can't ever get a girl!" Brock cried and startled everyone.

"You haven't thought about leave your pokeball on another place before you go talking to them?" Ash asked with his amused smile still on.

Brock seemed to lighten up on those words.

"You're right!" Brock yelled as he unattached his pokeball and handed it to Ash. He then started to walk towards a good looking girl that were at a table at the other side, he then turned around and walked up to Ash.

"I don't know what to say!" Brock cried out once again.

"What do you mean?" The raven haired trainer asked.

"I have no idea what to say to the girl!" Brock cried. "I don't know what I will say after my opening line!"

Pikachu's ears raised at those words, he then jumped onto Ash's shoulder and started to whisper something into his master's ear.

"Really?" Ash said surprisingly. Pikachu nodded eagerly.

"What?!" Brock asked hopefully.

"Well, Pikachu said that you should forget your boring opening line and use his instead, that will make the females fall all over you." Ash said simply.

"What is it!?" Brock yelled with a high voice.

Ash bent towards Brock and started to whisper it into his ear. Brock seemed delighted and got up and walked to the girl.

"What did Pikachu say?" May asked with confusion.

"You'll find out soon enough." Ash replied with an evil smile.

"Why do you look like that?" Misty questioned. "Doesn't the line work?"

"Oh, it works alright. For pokemon." Ash stated.

The group gave him a puzzled look and turned to Brock, he were at the girl now and started to stare at her, they could hear their conversation.

"Can I help you?" The girl asked.

Brock didn't respond, he just stood there with a little smile.

"Hello?" The girl asked again.

Brock opened his mouth and said.

"You know what, my Diglett's attracted to your Sweet Scent!"

The cafeteria got all quite.

"WHAT!?!" The girl yelled.

"I've got some legendary pokemon, do you want to touch my pokeballs to see just how legendary they are?" Brock asked with a perverted smile.

May's, Misty's, Dawn's and the others eyes were as big as plates. Except for Ash and Pikachu that had the time of their life and couldn't help but laugh.

"How DARE you?!?" The girl yelled and kicked Brock in... Well, I think you know where she kicked him.

After five minutes of pity and laughter Brock finally had manage to talk.

"It didn't work!"

"If you were a pokemon it would've worked." Ash said calmly.

Pikachu whispered something into his ear.

"Really?" Pikachu nodded. "Okay, even if you were a pokemon it wouldn't had worked."

Brock fell to the floor.

"Did I miss something?" Came a voice from a little girl.

"No Sarah! You just came in time to go and watch Ash's battle!" May said quickly, she didn't want to ruin the innocent girl's brain.

"Do you know who you're going to face Ash?"

"Nope, it's much funnier to be unprepared." Ash said with a smile.

"But you're going to face David Jones!" Max said hastily. "The winner of the Johto, Kanto and the Tag Battle Tournament! You can't be unprepared for this important battle!"

"Either way I get beaten, or I don't." Ash simply said. "I just don't want to know what pokemon he's going to use before I face him.

With those words Ash walked out from the hotel and headed towards the battlefield.

* * *

Ash's opponent seemed to be around Ash's age, he had brown eyes and short black hair. He had a Blue Shirt with White thin stripes and short sleeves, he also had blue jeans, white tennis shoes and a black and white hat.

He smiled at Ash.

"Hello, my name is David Jones, I'm from Golden Rod City, in Johto. Where are you from?" He asked with another smile.

"My name's Ash Ketchum, I'm from Pallet Town in Kanto." He then added. "I've heard of your victories, impressive."

"Yeah, thanks." He smiled. "I want to show the world my true potential!"

"Good place to do that, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I agree. How..."

"Are you going to battle or not?!?" A inpatient girl yelled. "Or are you just gonna stand there and talk to each other?!"

Ash smiled at the girl.

"Calm down Sarah, we're just having a little talk." He then turned to his opponent. "But she's right, we should get started."

"I agree with you..." David said sheepishly.

Ash gazed around in the building. There were a rather big sum of spectators, it looked like David had a big fan-club. Sarah, May and the others were sitting at the stands also.

"You ready Pi?" Ash asked his companion in a low voice.

"Pikachu." It responded.

"This is a battle between Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town and David Jones from Golden Rod City! It will be a one on one battle with three pokemon each at disposal, the battle is over when all the others opponents pokemon are unable to battle! Red corner, send out your first pokemon!" The referee declared and raised his flags.

"Floatzel, battle stance!" Ash shouted and summoned his weasel pokemon.

"Impressive." David said as he watched the pokemon make a little mocking gesture towards him. "But you're going down!"

He then unattached a blue and white ball from his waist and threw it into the air.

"Manectric, it's show-time!"

The ball emerged a mix of a blue dog and wolf with yellow mane. It howled at Floatzel, he remained unaffected.

"Begin the match!" The referee shouted and lowered his flags.

"Thunderbolt!"

"SonicBoom!"

The pokemon fired a yellow lightning and a white shock-wave at each other, the two attacks collided with a big impact.

"Floatzel, Aqua Jet!"

"Wait for it Manectric!"

Floatzel surrounded himself with water and launched himself towards the electric pokemon.

"Now!" David yelled. "Use Thunder!"

"Dodge it!" Ash roared.

Floatzel tried to avoid the incoming attack, but the attack struck the water trace after him and made him twitch in pain as the electricity went through his body.

"Floatzel! Are you OK?" Ash asked worried.

Floatzel shook his body and then gave Ash an answer that he was ready to continue.

"Great! Use Water Gun!"

"Smash it with Iron Tail!"

Floatzel sent a powerful jet of water towards the Manectric that had its tail glowing. Manectric struck the Water Gun head on with his tail before it made contact with him, the water disappeared.

* * *

"How did that happen?" Sarah asked confused.

"The force of the Iron Tail blocked the water simply." Brock explained.

Sarah seemed a little worried, Ash had never had problem before. Brock noticed the girl's look and tried to comfort her.

"Remember that the trainers that Ash battled before were not even close with the skills of this one." Brock smiled.

"But he didn't have any problem with Paul!" Sarah didn't gave up.

"I don't know why, it was either that his pokemon fought with some inner strength and felt Ash's willpower to win the battle, or Paul was just overconfident."

Sarah seemed to settle with that answer and focused once again on the battle. The pokemon had fired several attacks at each other.

* * *

"Use Hydro Pump!" Ash shouted.

"Counter that with Magnet Rise!"

Floatzel shot out an even more powerful jet of water against Manectric, Manectric started to sparkle with electricity and began to hover so the attack went under it.

Ash gritted his teeth. This opponent was a lot tougher than his others.

"Let's finish this with Spark!" David shouted to his pokemon.

"Attack with Aqua Jet!" Ash ordered.

Manectric began to spark with electricity again as it charged towards Floatzel, Floatzel began to surround himself with water and shot towards Manectric.

The two attacks collided with such a force that there were a big white beam that flashed whole the crowd. But when the beam had disappeared you could see who was the winner.

"Floatzel is unable to battle!" The referee said and made a gesture with his flags. "The victory goes to Manectric!"

"Good job Floatzel, have a nice rest." Ash said with a little smile as he recalled his pokemon.

* * *

"Ash lost a pokemon!" Sarah yelled sadly. "Why did he do that?"

"Calm down Sarah!" May said with a sharp voice. "The battle isn't over yet and Ash faced an opponent that both had the advantage and were a league champion!"

Sarah seemed to be settled once again with the answer.

* * *

"Sceptile! Go!" Ash shouted and threw his pokeball into the air.

"Tile!" The green lizard said as he shot out his twig towards his opponent.

"Manectric, return!" David said and recalled his pokemon. "I will need you later."

"Typhlosion, it's show-time!"

David called forth his great fire pokemon that let out a great roar.

"Sceptile, let's start with Bullet Seed!"

"Ember Typhlosion!"

The attacks collided and were equally strong.

* * *

"Why doesn't Ash switch his pokemon?" Dawn asked confused. "He has the disadvantaged.

"I don't know. He never did it during the battles that he let me watch." Sarah said puzzled.

"I can only guess that he wants to show that he can take on any challenge that comes to him!" Gary said with a smile.

Their attention turned to the battle as Sceptile hit Typhlosion with a Leaf Blade.

* * *

"Typhlosion, hit back with a Flame Wheel!"

"Earthquake Sceptile!" Ash yelled.

"Jump!" David shouted to his pokemon.

"Wait for it Sceptile, let it land before you unleash the attack!"

Typhlosion had taken a jump straight into the air and had interrupted its Flame Wheel to escape the attack, Sceptile stood and waited patiently as the pokemon were heading towards the ground.

"Now!" Ash roared and Sceptile took his tail and punched it into the air with a great force.

Typhlosion had just landed as the quake hit him and made him come to his knees.

"Typhlosion!" David cried out with fear. "Are you OK?"

Typhlosion made a grunting noise.

"That's good, use Swift!"

Ash smirked. "Use Rock Slide!"

When Typhlosion began to send out stars towards the green lizard Sceptile's right leaf began to glow as he struck it to the ground and sent huge boulders of rock flying and crushed the stars, they then continued and slammed into Typhlosion.

* * *

"Aright!" Sarah cheered as she saw Typhlosion faint and crush to the ground.

"That was a very impressive move by Sceptile!" Tracey said amazed.

"Of course, did you expect something else from Ash?" May asked smiling, the smile turned then into a blush when the whole group stared at her with evil smirks.

"W...what?" May stuttered.

The group didn't respond, instead they turned their attention towards the battle and saw David Jones recall his Typhlosion.

* * *

"Manectric, you're up next!" David shouted and re-summoned his blue pokemon with yellow mane.

"Sceptile, let's end this quick! Use Leaf Blade!" Ash called out, he noticed how both their pokemon looked tired form their battles.

"Use Thunderbolt!" David called.

The electric pokemon sent a electric lightning towards the charging green pokemon, the bolt struck Sceptile and continued to do that as Sceptile moved towards his opponent.

"_This is all about the chances._" Ash thought with his teeth clenched.

Suddenly Sceptile stopped dead track and got down on one knee as the electricity were sparkling around its body.

"_Damn it!_"

* * *

"What happened?" Max asked.

"Looks like Sceptile got paralysed by that Thunderbolt." Misty said with amazement.

* * *

"Sceptile, can you move?" Ash asked his pokemon.

"Tile!" Sceptile said through his teeth.

"Good, use Leaf Blade again!"

"Use Bite!" David called out to his pokemon.

The two attacks collided with each other, but Sceptile's attack were stronger and pushed Manectric away.

"Use Fire Fang!"

"Use Leaf Blade! One more time!"

The two pokemon charged towards each other again with their attacks glowing, but instead of meeting the attacks with the other the attacks hit the opponent. That made them both grunt in pain and sent them away a little.

"Sceptile/Manectric!" The trainers shouted.

Their pokemon got up to their feet and stared to glare at the other one. Then they gave the other a little smile before both of them crashed to the ground.

"The match is a tie!" The referee said and made another gesture with his flags. "Send out your last pokemon!"

Both the trainers grabbed their pokeballs and threw one into the air.

They both shouted.

"Go Pidgeot!"

The crowd gasped at the sight of the magnificent birds.

* * *

"Since when did Ash got a Pidgeot?" May asked astonished, she remembered Solaid's bird.

"That was actually one of Ash's first pokemon, he left it to protect a gang of wild Pidgey's and Pidgeotto's. But I guess that he kept his promise and came for it!" Brock said with a smile.

"It's so beautiful!" Dawn was amazed.

"To hell with that bird!" Sarah said. "Look at his opponent's!"

* * *

There were two major differences between the two pokemon. Ash's Pidgeot were much larger than the other one. But the opponents pokemon had the colour of gold on itself, it was a shiny Pidgeot.

"Let's not use Roost." Ash said to David. "The battle will take forever then."

"I agree with you, let's finish this quick! Isn't that right girl?" David asked his pokemon.

His Pidgeot let out a high pitch cry.

"Begin the battle!" The referee shouted and lowered both his flags.

"Pidgeot! Use Ariel Ace!" Ash called out.

"Counter it with Quick Attack Storm!" David shouted.

The two birds began to fly towards each other with an incredible speed. They then collided with their attacks.

"Pidgeot!/Storm!" The trainers shouted as their pokemon were pushed back by the force of the collided attacks.

"Quick! Use Quick Attack you to Pidgeot!" Ash called.

His pokemon made a quick stop in the air and accelerated with high speed and then crashed into its opponent.

"Storm!" David yelled as he heard his pokemon scream with pain. "Use Steel Wing!"

David's Pidgeot flew up behind Ash's Pidgeot and spread out one of her wings, the wing began to glow white and crashed into Ash's pokemon.

Ash's teeth gritted once again as he saw his pokemon cry out in pain.

"Let's finish this with Brave Bird Storm!" David yelled to his pokemon.

"Quick Attack straight up!" Ash called out.

Storm began to charge up with speed and a blue aura began to surround it, the bird then headed towards Ash's pokemon.

Ash's Pidgeot shoot straight up into the air with the speed of Quick Attack and barley dodged the coming attack that were flying towards him.

A thought then came into Ash's head.

"Pidgeot, use Hyper Beam, full power!!" Ash roared to his pokemon.

Pidgeot responded by gather a little yellow ball into its mouth and then shoot it straight towards the golden coloured pokemon that had began to straighten up from its attack.

"Dodge it Storm!" David yelled.

But it was to late, Storm didn't had time to dodge, the Hyper Beam hit it straight on its back. Storm let out a scream of pain as it crashed to the ground.

* * *

"Awesome!" Sarah cheered from the stand, the others were cheering equally happy.

* * *

"David Jones's Pidgeot is unable to battle! David Jones is out of pokemon! The match goes to Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!"

"Return Storm." David said with a sad smile. "You did your best, take a good rest."

He then walked over to Ash that were praising his pokemon.

"You're a good trainer Ash, I haven't had such battle for years!" David offered Ash a handshake.

Ash took his hand and smiled.

"Thanks, you almost had me there with that Brave Bird!"

David Jones smiled and walked away from the field, his fans followed him after they had glared at Ash a little.

"That was the best battle ever!" Max shouted as he ran towards Ash.

Ash turned around and saw a blur of brown hair in his face and then felt an embrace from a certain brunette.

"You did great Ash!" May said as she hugged him.

Ash felt a little blush coming across his cheeks.

"Pika!" Pikachu said as he took one paw on May's head and the other one on Ash's head.

Ash gave him a puzzled look.

"Thanks May!" Ash said smiling, he didn't want her to break her hug.

"I think you can let go of Ash now May," Max said with a smirk. "I don't think Ash wants cooties."

He then had to run as his rampaging sister were after him.

"What are we going to do now?" Sarah asked with her cheerful but high voice.

"Well, I'm feeling a little hungry!" Ash said as his stomach let out a loud growl.

"Same old Ash!" Brock said as he began to laugh with the rest of the group.

Ash gave him a weak little smile.

* * *

They had found May and Max right after they had left the battlefield. May had stood over her brother, that had been lying on the ground, and scolded him for the comments he had given her.

After May had calmed down they had got to a restaurant to get some dinner. Pikachu got delighted as he saw a bottle of ketchup standing on one of the tables, the problem was that the table were take. Ash had to restrain Pikachu from taking the ketchup, but he had manage to calm him down with a promise that they should get him a bigger bottle. Pikachu seemed happy with the comment and let the ketchup on the other table alone.

They had been placed at a large round table, the arrangements were: Ash, May, Max, Dawn, Tracey, Misty, Gary, Brock and Sarah. Pikachu sat in the middle of the table.

"What can I give you?" The waiter asked them.

They gave him their orders and he nodded and wrote them down, then he walked away and let the group alone.

"So, what have you been up to?" Ash asked with a little smile, Scott had already told him what they had been doing but he felt like it would be nicer to hear it from them.

The group started to explain what they had been doing, the conversation kept going until the dinner came.

They ate their food in silence and then they paid for the bill and left the restaurant. The group decided then that it was time to split up for the evening.

"I'm a little tired, I think I should go to bed..." Misty said as she let out a yawn.

"Yeah, me to!" Dawn said equally tired.

"I'm coming with you!" Tracey and Gary said at the same time, that got them to glare at each other. Ash and May sighed.

"I think I'm going to the park." May said in a silent voice.

"Can I join you?" Ash asked with a hopeful voice.

May blushed before she said.

"Sure." She said as she forced down her squeal of happiness.

"I'm going to check out who you're going to battle next Ash!" Max said with an eager tone.

"And I'm going to check out the girls!" Brock yelled as he ran away to the closest bar.

"Sarah, it's late." Ash started. "Go to the hotel and get some sleep."

Sarah was about to protest, but then she saw Ash's look and figured out that it was no use.

The group split up and they headed to different directions.

* * *

May and Ash had walked under silence in the park, none of them had spoken a word.

"So..." They both started. They laughed and blushed a little before Ash said.

"You first."

"I was going to say... what do you think about the battle!" May said with a little lie in her voice, she mentally hit herself for not telling the truth.

"Yeah, it was good." Ash said with a hint of disappoint in his voice.

"Hey! I know somebody that has been longing for meet Pikachu again!" May said with a wink towards the rodent.

"Pikaa?" Pikachu asked puzzled.

"Glaceon! Come out and say hi!" May said and threw the ball into the air.

"Glace!" The fox pokemon said and tackled Pikachu to the ground.

"Now you know how I felt buddy!" Ash chuckled as Pikachu rubbed his little head.

The two pokemon began to sniff on each other, then Glaceon licked Pikachu on the cheek. Pikachu gave out a delighted squeak and rubbed his cheek at Glaceon's.

"They look so cute!" May said giggling.

"They're not the only one..." Ash said in a silent tone and looked at May with a little smile.

"W...What?" May stuttered.

They looked into each others eyes, both were blushing light red. Then they heard a little squeak and saw Glaceon run away with a little Pikachu behind her.

"Glaceon! Wait for me!" May shouted as she ran after her pokemon.

"To me Pi!" Ash said shortly and started to run after May and her pokemon. "Girls, can you understand them Pi?" He asked the rodent on his shoulder.

Pikachu shook his head with a smile.

* * *

May had reached her pokemon, they were both panting tiredly.

"Why did you run away for Glaceon?" May asked her pokemon slightly annoyed.

"Glace!" Her pokemon said happily.

"You wanted to play `hard to get´?" May asked puzzled, then she giggled.

She heard something from the bushes.

"Who's there?" May asked with a serious voice. Glaceon began go growl.

A Flame Thrower came out from the woods and hit Glaceon directly on the mark.

"Glaceon!" May yelled as her pokemon crashed to the ground, struggling to get up.

Out of the woods came a big man with long yellow hair, his face were turned to a smile as he approached May.

"Who are you? Why did you attack my pokemon?!" May yelled.

"A interesting question!" The man said with a sick smile. "You see, I've just lost my battle so I'm out looking for new pokemon. Let's just say that your pokemon got my interest!"

"You can't have my pokemon!" May said as she tried to pick Glaceon up. "You're sick!"

"Listen now lady!" The man almost yelled. "I had put a lot of money on that I would've won that battle today, and I didn't! I'm broke now, do you get it!?" The man spoke thickly.

"You're drunk!" May stated with a hint of fear in her voice, but she didn't back down.

"Drunk and desperate!" The man growled as he approached May.

May sent a kick that hit him on his leg.

"You bitch!" The man yelled and slapped May over her face.

May fell to the ground and felt the tears build up in her eyes.

* * *

Ash had been running after May, but he had lost her. Pikachu walked by his side as they heard a scream in the woods.

"May!" Ash yelled as he ran towards the scream with Pikachu after him.

When Ash arrived at the spot he could see May and Glaceon laying down with a big man over them.

"Foolish girl!" Ash heard the man scream. "I just wanted your pokemon and now she's hurt!"

Ash and Pikachu stopped dead-track, the scene when Ash's mother and her Mr. Mime got killed started to play in his head.

There was only one thought in the trainer's head. "_Not this time!!_"

Ash roared as he charged towards the man and sent him crashing to the ground, Ash got up on the man and started to punch him in the face. Punch after punch, Ash let out his full anger, his full fear that he had felt on that day when his mother had been murdered.

"ASH! Stop it! Please!" May's scream made Ash freeze.

"He's unconscious, he can't do anything more!" May said as she tried to get Ash up on his feet.

Ash got up from his sitting position and felt the tears build up in his eyes, he felt May hug him.

"Let's go back to the hotel. OK?" May asked with a sweet voice.

Ash only nodded.

May recalled back her Glaceon and Pikachu seated himself on Ash's shoulder.

"Thanks for saving me..." May whispered silently in Ash's ear as they walked towards the hotel.

**End of Chapter 13**

* * *

**Well, I can agree that the ending was a little rushed, but there's nothing we can do about it now!**

**Don't forget to: Review, Vote (both on Misty and the pull on my profile!) and to not drink and drive!**

**I see you in the next chapter!**

**R&R!  
**

**Merry Christmas!  
**


	14. Chapter 14

**Here's another chapter! I hope that you'll like this one (I wrote it on a night due to the lack of time!).**

**I wanted to finis another chapter before the new year!**

**Don't forget to vote on Tracey or Gary. The ones that hasn't voted on the poll at my profile are welcome to do that to!**

**Enjoy the chapter!  
**

**R&R**

* * *

May's eyes opened slowly, she stretched herself and yawned.

"Slept good May?" Came a voice from the redheaded gym leader Misty.

"Yeah." May said tiredly. "But not enough."

May slowly began to crawl under the covers again, just to be dragged out from the bed by a blue- and a redhead.

"You can't sleep now May!" Dawn said excited. "You promised us to explain what happened between you and Ash yesterday!"

May nodded and thought back at the memories from last night.

"Fine," She then said. "but I don't want to hear you tease me or something like that when I'm done!"

The two girls didn't respond her. May sighed and began.

"We got to the park, it was very beautiful. We didn't say anything to each other, but then we both tried to talk at the same time..."

May interrupted herself as she gave Dawn an annoyed look about the sound and expression on the face she made.

"Anyway." She started. "I called out Glaceon and she and Pikachu started to play, then Glaceon ran away and I had to follow her."

May didn't want to say that Ash had told her that she looked beautiful. She didn't want for three reasons, the first was that Misty and Dawn would never stop teasing her if they found out. The second was that she wasn't sure that Ash wanted her to tell them. The third was that she wasn't sure that he really had said that, she barley heard him talk.

"What happened next?" Misty asked and interrupted May from her thoughts.

"Well," May began. "Glaceon ran away and I followed her. We ran for a while until she stopped. Then suddenly she got hit from a Flamethrower from the bushes, knocking her out."

Dawn and Misty gasped and looked on May with worry, but May still had her little smile on.

"A man came out and wanted to steal my pokemon, he had lost a bet or something and had nothing left. I didn't really get everything he was saying, he was kinda drunk.

I tried to kick him in the crotch but hit his leg, then he slapped me and sent me to the ground. I thought I was over, but then Ash came and tackled the man to the ground and started to punch him, then he stopped and led me to our hotel." May finished with a smile. She didn't want to tell them how close Ash were to kill that man, she didn't find it necessary.

"You forgot one thing May!" Dawn smiled evilly.

"What?" May asked with slight confusion.

"You forgot to mention that Ash led you to your door and refused to leave until you were inside!" Dawn stated with an exciting voice.

"So what?" May responded with a rather annoyed tone.

"That's evidence that he likes you!" Dawn yelled happily and Misty nodded approving.

"Sure he likes me, we are friends." May said and tried to change the subject.

"I think he likes you more than a friend." Dawn said with a wink towards May, causing May to blush. "And what I've understood you like him to!"

"You don't know what you are talking about..." May muttered as she made her way out of the room and towards the cafeteria.

"We'll see May!" Dawn said, just as loud so Misty could hear. Then the two girls followed May.

* * *

Ash took another heavy sigh along with Pikachu, Max couldn't just shut up!

Brock, Ash and Max had been sitting at the cafeteria for an hour and all Max talked about was Ash's opponent. Ash had been looking forward a peaceful breakfast along with his best friend, but then he had heard a loud yell and saw a blue frog pokemon pull a certain breeder towards his table, it wasn't that he didn't liked Brock, but Ash had a long night yesterday and wanted to gather his thoughts and rest a bit before the battle. But the worst part were when Max came down and ran towards Ash and Brock like a Beedrill had stung his butt, he yelled to Ash:

"You're going to face Shawn Trasker!"

And the worst part didn't end there. Ash and Pikachu had given Max a confused look and asked who Shawn Trasker was. After Max had looked at him liked he was an idiot and then tried to hold himself from laughing at him, he straightened himself and began to take the overlong explanation that Shawn Trasker was the first Hoenn elite four since two years. He also almost mentioned every pokemon that the elite four had and what he preferred to battle with and how he did it and so on. Max would surely had continued to do that if it weren't for Pikachu's little `innocent´ Thundershock had struck him.

"In other words." Max said as he got up from the floor. "He's going to kick your ass."

Max earned a little slap in the back of his head by Brock.

"You know Max, we're cheering for Ash." Brock said with a slight annoyance towards the short trainer. "We are not here to get your big hero's autograph!"

"Should you talk about things like that?" Max snapped back.

"What do you mean?" Brock asked with an amused smile.

"Look, isn't that Nurse Joy over there?" Max stated with a pretended interesting voice.

Brock ran towards the nurse and began to explain his eternal love, just to be attack and dragged away by an evil bluish frog that looked like it was more dead than alive.

Ash looked at Max with a great interest.

"Looks like I'm not the only one that has changed!" Ash stated with his calm yet amused voice as he looked on the glasses-wearing trainer, and then he looked on the suffering breeder on the floor.

Max didn't have time to respond his sentence, he was interrupted by a fist on his head as he fell down to the floor.

"Don't make fun of Brock like that!" May scolded her brother. "Can't you see he's suffering enough?!"

"But Ash did the same thing yesterday and you didn't punish him!" Max said angrily as he rubbed his bump on his head.

"That's because I'm messed up in my head." Ash stated calmly.

"Don't talk like that!" May yelled at him.

Ash straighten up in his chair.

"Yes Ma'am!" Ash said with a slightly fearful tone. He didn't fear to face the whole force of Team Magma single handed, or be in Team Aquas torture-chamber. But he did fear a woman's wrath, he wasn't an idiot.

"I think we should go now guys." Sarah said in a tired tone as she came down from the stairs followed by the rest of the group.

Ash scouted the group with his eyes and saw that Gary and Tracey had made some kind of rearguard at Misty.

"Are you guys waiting for Misty until she comes out from her room or something?" Ash asked with a puzzled tone. "Every time I see you you're after Misty."

Gary and Tracey blushed and looked down to the ground because of his remark.

"What do you mean Ash?" Misty questioned him confused.

"Well, every time..." Ash began.

"Aren't you going to be late for your battle?!" Gary and Tracey yelled at the same time and interrupted Ash.

"Yeah, you're right!" Ash said and made his way to the door, he didn't find any purpose in continue the discussion.

He then stopped and looked at Max.

"The elite four you said?" He asked the boy.

Max nodded and his eyes looked like stars of worshiping at the thought of his idol.

Ash responded Max with a nod and walked towards the pokemon exchange machine, there he took out three pokeballs and placed them in small containers at the machine. He then pressed some buttons and a white light appeared, he took his newly exchanged pokeballs and made his way towards the door once again.

"What pokemon did you change?" Max asked.

"You'll see." Ash responded with a smile.

* * *

They were heading towards the battlefield, it would be the last match before the elimination matches were over, then the finals with six pokemon each should start.

Ash looked at the sky, there was not a single cloud up there and the sun was gazing hot. Ash was glad that he had removed his cloak and hood, he was now wearing a black T-shirt with brown long shorts, he had white sneakers, and his black sash still tied around his head. Pikachu sat on his shoulder and was sweating due to its thick fur.

"The weather sure is warm today!" Gary exclaimed as the group were panting of tiredness, except Ash.

"How does it comes that you're not tired?" Dawn asked the raven haired trainer puzzled.

"I'm used to suffering..." Ash responded with a little maniac smile.

The group looked a little afraid, but when they saw the kind smile on Ash's face and the snickering rodent on his shoulder they knew that he was joking.

They had arrived at the building, Ash was a rather confused to see a person looking like some kind of guard stand in front of the door.

Ash walked up to him and the guard looked at him with a look that Ash recognized as suspicious and watchful.

"Are you Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town?" The guard asked with a slight robotic voice.

"Yes, I am." Ash responded shortly while staring irritated at the guard.

"May I see your trainer license?" The guard commanded and held out his right hand in front of Ash.

Ash looked at the hand for a few seconds, then he took out his pokédex and handed it to the guard. The guard nodded after he had examined it and gave it back.

"You can enter." He just said.

Ash walked into the building with Pikachu on his shoulder, then he heard a familiar noise and turned around. He spotted the guard with his arms stretched out at the door, blocking the way for a furious little girl and a desperate short trainer.

"I can only let in the challenger!" The guard stated with a commanding voice.

"But we're his friends!" May said with an angry voice.

"Orders from the league, only Shawn Trasker's opponent and a referee will be allowed inside the building, it's a safety risk for the Hoenn elite four!"

"That's bullshit!" Sarah yelled to the guard and tried to run under his arms. "Ash needs us!"

Ash looked at the girl with slight amusement.

"That's okay Sarah, I think I can manage a battle alone. I was after all alone for four years." He finished with a little sad smile.

The group seemed to hesitate, but then they slowly nodded and let the guard close the door.

"What are we going to do now?" Misty asked, it was still as hot as the time they had walked to the building.

"I don't know...." Dawn said thoughtful. Then a smile came up to her face. "I know, let's go shopping!"

May and Sarah cheered and Brock shrugged his shoulders, but the rest of the group gave her a big, loud `No!´

"Fine!" Dawn pouted with her arms crossing and turned away.

"Let's just go and get some to eat. OK?" Brock asked with a tired tone.

"Sounds good to me!" May said with a smile.

"Yeah, me to!" Tracey agreed.

The group walked to an outside restaurant, they decided to get something to eat and then wait for Ash.

* * *

Ash gazed his opponent, he looked like to be around twenty years old, he had medium length black hair and blue eyes, he looked to be around 6.1 feet, he wore a blue hooded sweater with a purple scarf and black jeans.

Ash was slightly surprised that the trainer in front of him didn't drip from sweat.

"So." His opponent began. "You're Ash Ketchum? Can't say that I've heard of you." He spoke with a confident voice, "_like a trainer that needed to get beaten"_, Ash thought with a smirk.

"I can honestly say that I would be surprised if you had heard of me..." Ash said with a slight mocking tone. "You don't mix with the common people, do you?"

Ash's intention of pissing the trainer of a little seemed to work.

"If you are according to why your friends didn't got to come in you can say that I grew tired of all the fans, they never leave me alone!" He responded with a slight angry tone. "Let's just get this battle started!"

The referee nodded and raised his flags.

"This is a battle between Shawn Trasker of the Hoenn Elite Four and Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, Kanto! This will be the last battle in the elimination rounds, each trainer can use three pokemon each but there will only be one pokemon allowed outside for each trainer, there's no time-limit and substitution is allowed! Have the trainers understood the rules?"

The two trainers gave a short nod as a yes.

"Then the green corner can send out his first pokemon!"

"I heard you!" Shawn said and unattached a pokeball from his belt. "Skuntank! Let's show them what power is!"

From the pokeball emerged a medium sized mammalian animal with a dark-purple color and a white stripe that was running down its back. Ash felt the smell from it right away.

"Torkoal! Battle stance!" Ash shouted and threw a pokeball into the air.

Out from the pokeball came a turtle with a reddish-brown body and a black shell. Torkoal glared at his opponent, he wasn't the same old crying turtle anymore. He, like his trainer, had really toughened up, and just not emotional.

"Begin the battle!" The referee shouted and lowered his flags.

"Let's finish this quick Skuntank!" Shawn shouted, his pokemon nodded in agreement. "Use Toxic!"

Skuntank shoot out a purple liquid, containing some sort of bubbles, towards the turtle.

"Torkoal, use Flamethrower on his attack, aim it so it comes to his pokemon!" Ash ordered.

Torkoal opened his gap and shoot out a great flame that collided with the toxic attack and exterminated it, then the attack continued towards the skunk-pokemon.

"Use Dig!" Shawn yelled.

Skuntank jumped up a little into the air and then disappeared in the earth, the Flamethrower went straight over it.

"Torkoal, use Iron Defense!" Ash ordered, he knew that Torkoal didn't had the speed to avoid a Dig attack.

Torkoal pulled himself into his shell. It was like that for a few seconds before Skuntank burst up from the ground and knocked Torkoal away, Torkoal grunted in pain as he flew through the air.

Torkoal managed to land on his stomach, then he got up onto his feet and glared at Skuntank.

"Use Flamethrower Torkoal!"

"You use Flamethrower to Skuntank!"

The pokemon opened their mouths and shoot each out a strong attack made of flames towards the other. The attacks collided with a great explosion, but Torkoal's attack continued through the explosion and hit Skuntank right on target. The attack would've made a great amount of damage if it weren't for that it had lost much of its power due to the explosion. Skuntank got up and glared at the turtle and growled.

"Use Poison Gas! Make that little volcano sick!" Shawn ordered his pokemon.

Skuntank opened its mouth and shoot out a green cloud of gas towards the turtle.

"Torkoal! Rapid Spin with all the power you got!" Ash yelled to his pokemon.

Torkoal redraw into his shell and started to spin with an incredible speed, it was so fast that it made a small tornado, making the Poison Gas change direction and surround Skuntank.

"Good move Ash." Shawn said with a smirk. "But my pokemon is resistant to poison attacks and immune to his own poison!"

"Who said I was done?" Ash asked with a smirk as big as Shawn's. "Use Heat Wave on the cloud!"

Before Shawn could respond Torkoal had shoot out several powerful waves of fire towards the Skuntank. The clouds that were surrounding the pokemon exploded as the fire made contact with them, you could only hear Skuntank's yell of pain inside the explosion as the whole arena was filled with smoke and heat.

When the smoke had cleared you could see the skunk-pokemon lie on the ground with several burn injuries.

"Skuntank is unable to battle! Torkoal wins the battle!" The referee yelled as he lowered one of his flags. "Green corner, send out your next pokemon!"

"Good job Skuntank, you made me proud!" Shawn said as he recalled his pokemon. "Take a good rest."

He then looked up to Ash and said with a smile.

"It seems like I underestimated you. But that won't happen again!"

Ash smiled and just said. "Many people does."

Shawn unattached another ball from his belt and called out his second pokemon.

"Come on out and play Kingdra!" Shawn and his pokemon let out a strange noise.

"Begin the battle!" The referee shouted and lowered his flags.

"_This isn't good!_" Ash thought as he watched his opponents pokemon. "_Kingdra is double resistant to Torkoal's fire attacks and Torkoal is weak against water! But I have ONE advantage, she can't move so good on the ground, there isn't any water nearby!_"

"Torkoal, use Body Slam!" Ash ordered his pokemon.

"Use Agility Kingdra!"

Torkoal took a great jump and aimed in on Kingdra with his body, but Kingdra disappeared as a blue blur as soon as Torkoal would've made contact with her. Torkoal landed on the ground with a big thud.

"Torkoal! Use Flamethrower!" Ash called out desperately.

"Use Water Gun!" Shawn called out.

The power of the Water Gun quickly put out the Flamethrower and Torkoal barley dodged it.

"Finish this with Giga Impact!" Shawn ordered his pokemon.

"Torkoal." Ash said in a silent voice so only Torkoal and Pikachu could hear. "You know what to do, I'm sorry."

Torkoal nodded in response and watched Kingdra come closer and closer towards him, he saw how Kingdra's eyes were filled with one thing, to hurt him as much as possible. Torkoal braced himself and began to glow a weak color of red. Kingdra were just a few meters away from Torkoal...

"Now!!" Ash roared to his pokemon.

Torkoal gave out a sound that some would consider as some sort of war-cry and exploded with such power that Kingdra flew to the other side of the field.

"What the hell happened?!?" Shawn yelled.

"It's simple, Torkoal used Explosion." Ash stated, but he wasn't glad for it. He didn't like when his pokemon used attacks that hurt them so much, but it was necessary to do it.

"Torkoal is unable to battle!" The referee shouted. "Send out you next pokemon!"

Ash recalled his pokemon and looked at the pokeball with a soft look.

"Thanks Torkoal, you did great!" He then unattached another pokeball from his belt and threw it into the air.

"Fight for me Meganium!"

The beige-yellow herb-pokemon emerged from its pokeball and let out a happily but yet determinate cry.

"Begin the battle!" You could hear the referee order.

"Razor Leaf!" Ash ordered his pokemon.

"Use Water Gun to wash them away Kingdra!" Shawn ordered.

The two attack collided and the Razor Leafs were easily washed away by the Water Gun, the Water Gun then headed straight to Meganium, but it did barley any damage.

"Giga Impact Meganium!"

"Do it you to Kingdra!"

The two pokemon charged towards each other, neither of them looked like they wanted to give up. They collided with a great force and tried to push the other one back. Slowly Meganium began to push Kingdra backwards. Shawn noticed that and ordered his pokemon to break the attack.

Ash saw Kingdra jump back and took his chance.

"Use Energy Ball!"

Meganium quickly sent away a green glowing ball that hit Kingdra right in the stomach, Kingdra gave out a grunt of pain as it received the attack.

"Respond them with Ice Beam!" Shawn roared to his pokemon in frustration.

Kingdra sent away a beam of ice that hit Meganium, Meganium tried to dodge it but it hit her in the leg. She gave out a cry of pain but didn't back down.

"Meganium! Close in on that Kingdra!" Ash ordered, it was now or never.

"Kingdra, jump over Meganium and use Ice Beam again!" Shawn yelled.

"Vine Whip!" Ash yelled. "You know what I mean!"

Shawn gave Ash a puzzled look, but the look then turned into one of horror as he saw the herb-pokemon shoot out two vines. One of the vines wrapped around Kingdra's body, the other one was wrapped around Kingdra's mouth! That made it unable to fire its attack, Shawn could only stand there and watch his pokemon struggle to get free.

"Charge up a SolarBeam!" Ash yelled.

"Break free Kingdra!" Shawn cried desperately.

Kingdra struggled for his life, but Meganium had a to tight grip on him. He couldn't move.

Ash smiled, due to the hot and gazing sun it was this morning the SolarBeam didn't need long time at all to charge up.

"Release it!" Ash shouted. "And let go of the vines!"

Meganium shot out a white-orange light towards the seahorse-pokemon as she let go of it with her vines. The impact hit straight on and caused the pokemon to cry out in pain. Kingdra flew up and smashed the roof and then came crashing down and hit the ground with a loud sound.

"Kingdra is unable to battle!" The referee shouted. "Meganium wins the match!"

Ash looked at his pokemon, she was down on her knees and panted heavily, she couldn't take much more damage.

Shawn Trasker was gritting his teeth, this was not the way he had planned. He had one pokeball left and his opponent had two pokemons to fight with! He took a deep sigh before he unattached his last pokeball from his belt.

"Honchkrow! You're my last hope!"

The black bird came out of his pokeball and flew up into the air. It looked like a powerful pokemon to Ash.

"Meganium, return!" Ash ordered as he recalled his pokemon.

"I'm really proud of you!" Ash said with a smile to the pokeball. "But it's not necessary to have you in a fight you cannot win."

Ash placed the pokeball in his belt and took another one from it.

"Glalie! Take your stance!" Ash shouted and summoned his only ice type.

"Begin the battle!" The referee yelled once again.

"Use Steel Wing Honchkrow!" Shawn ordered his pokemon.

"_A direct attack?_" Ash thought. "Use Ice Beam!"

Honchkrow were coming towards Glalie with his wings glowing white, Glalie shot out an Ice Beam towards Honchkrow that dodged it skillfully and crashed into Glalie with his wing. Glalie let out a cry of pain as he was thrown back.

"_Aha, so he's that fast!_" Ash thought with a frown, this was going to be a hard battle even with type advantage.

"Use Quick Attack!" Shawn yelled to his pokemon.

"Counter it with Rollout!" Ash called.

Shawn watched with clenched teeth as his pokemon had reached a so high speed that it was unable to break it. Glalie rolled towards the charging pokemon and took a jump, the two attacks collided with each other and Honchkrow were forced back.

"Shadow Ball!" Shawn ordered with his voice filled with annoyance.

"Dodge them and continue to dodge them Glalie!" Ash called out.

The black balls were flying around Glalie that dodge them very easy.

"Use Hail!" Ash ordered with a smile.

"Don't let it come to you! Continue with the Shadow Balls!"

Glalie began to glow as cloud gathered at the roof, and the temperature lowered to below zero, made Ash shudder a bit. Small ice-balls began to circle down from the roof, hitting Honchkrow.

"I said use Shadow Ball!" Shawn ordered desperately.

"Bad move!" Ash smirked.

Honchkrow began to charge up a big black ball and let it away, just for it to explode in his face right after.

"But.... how?!" Shawn asked with his voice trembling.

"The Shadow Ball exploded on one of the hail." Ash explained calmly. "The Shadow Ball attack is really sensitive and explodes on the first thing it makes contact with!"

Shawn gritted his teeth once again, things didn't look good for him.

"Use Aerial Ace to finish this!" He called out to his pokemon.

Honchkrow began to fly towards Glalie, ignoring the damage it received from the hail.

"_Well, this is a shot in the dark. But what the hell!_" Ash thought tensed as he saw the black bird close up on his pokemon.

"Powder Snow!" Ash called.

"That weak attack isn't going to do any damage!" Shawn smirked.

"Who said something about damage?" Ash asked with the same smile that he had when the gas exploded.

Glalie opened its mouth and let out several snowy flakes at Honchkrow, Honchkrow smiled as to show that it didn't take any damage from it, but suddenly Honchkrow felt that he couldn't move. Glalie dodge the incoming Honchkrow and watched as it crashed into the wall.

"What!?" Shawn yelled in frustration.

"Your pokemon is frozen!" Ash stated with a smile.

Ash then turned to Glalie that stood and awaited his master's orders.

"Use Sheer Cold." Ash said calmly to his pokemon.

Shawn's face grew into a face of terror as he saw the face-pokemon happily jump towards Honchkrow and then starting to glow bright white, it looked like it gathered the falling hail around itself. Then it shot out a powerful big wave of ice towards every direction. If you could call that he had been frozen by that Powder Snow attack you wouldn't know what to say when you looked at Honchkrow now. Ash turned to Shawn.

"Your pokemon is unable to move, I can continue to attack it until it faints. But if I do that your pokemon will only suffer, but it's your choice." Ash stated and looked at the elite four with a piercing glare.

Shawn seemed to hesitate, he wasn't the person that gave up. But he then looked at his pokemon and saw how it already suffered inside the big ice-block. He sighed and took up his pokeball.

"Honchkrow return, you did your best!" He said with a little sad smile, then he walked away.

"S... Shawn Trasker h... has recalled b... back his p...po.... pokemon! The winner is A.... Ash Ket.... Ketchum and Glalie!" The judge stuttered thanks to the cold.

Ash nodded shortly towards the judge and walked out of the building, he refused to show any sign of feeling the cold. But Pikachu shivered on his shoulder.

* * *

The group awaited him as he got out from the building, they were drenched by sweat and the heat were almost killing them.

"How did it go?" They asked Ash at the same time.

Ash didn't answer them, he and Pikachu just stretched themselves and said.

"Aaah! Lovely warmth!" And was according to the heat outside.

The group looked at Ash like he was crazy, they shrugged it off and continued to press him how it went.

"I won." Ash said simply.

Sarah, May, Dawn and Misty cheered. Gary, Tracey and Brock nodded approving. But Max got down on his knees and looked like his world had fell apart.

"What's the matter Max?" May asked her brother. Max looked at Ash and yelled.

"What's with you and defeat the people I idolize?!"

"What do you mean?" Dawn asked with a puzzled look.

"What I've heard is that Max looked up and thought that his father was unbeatable, but then Ash managed to defeat him, and now he did the same!" Gary stated amused.

But when he mentioned the name of one of their parents the group got a sad and frustrated look on their faces.

Ash looked at the group and took a big sigh.

"Guys, I know what your parents did were wrong. But you can't stay angry at them all the time."

The group looked at Ash like he was an idiot.

"But after everything they did to you! To us!" Brock almost yelled. "How can you believe we want to forgive our parents!"

Ash looked at him for a moment.

"I didn't say that you should forgive you parents for their own sake, I didn't also said that you should forgive them now." Ash looked at the group strictly. "I want you to forgive your parents for your own sake, when you feel ready for it. Believe me, you doesn't want to live without the person that gave birth to you so soon."

"How can you take it so easily!?" Misty shouted to him. "After what they said to you! You can't just forgive them!"

"I don't think I can ever forgive them Misty." Ash said slowly. "But you can, and you will. What they did against me was unforgivable, but just for me! What they did to you did they do because they loved you and wanted to protect you! That's nothing wrong with that."

The group got all silent, they couldn't believe that Ash wanted them to forgive the same people that had ruined four years of his life.

A smile came up on Dawn's face, then it turned to a giggle.

Ash gave her a confused look. "What's the matter?"

"It's just so like you to think on other peoples best before your own!" Dawn said laughing.

The rest of the group got what she meant and saw the funny in it, soon the whole group were laughing. Ash was quiet and looked at the equally silent Pikachu. He gave him a small smile that the rodent responded.

After the group had finished laughing May was the first one to speak up.

"Ash, do you have your swimming trunks?"

Ash gave her a surprised look before he said.

"Yes, I bought a pair when I had gone shopping with Sarah." Ash shivered at the memory.

"That's good, because due to the weather's heat we're going to the beach!" Dawn cut in excited.

"The beach?" Ash asked. "Why?"

"To cool off!" Sarah said happily.

"The hotel has air-conditioner you know..." Ash said slowly.

"Are you an idiot or something!?" Sarah yelled at him. Ash gave the girl a small smile.

"Don't think so, I just don't think I have time to go and swim with you guys. I need to train."

"Seriously Ash." Brock started. "When was the last time you did really enjoy yourself?"

Ash was about to respond.

"That didn't involve pokemon!" Brock said sharply.

Ash shut his mouth and thought for a moment, then he made a little grimace and said.

"About four and a half year ago."

With those words the group took his arms and dragged him towards the beach.

Ash was surprised to see that it weren't many people at all on the beach, he thought that most of them had chosen the rooms' conditioners instead of this place.

"Well, we're here!" May exclaimed. "Let's change!"

Gary, Tracey, Brock and Max walked away to the boys changing room. Ash and the girls stood there for a moment.

Suddenly May took of her skirt and blouse and revealed a red two piece swimsuit that Ash found gorgeous. Ash felt a punch in his guts again.

"Ouch! What the hell Sarah?" He asked the girl angrily and rubbed the side of his stomach.

"You shouldn't be ogling girls when they change!" Sarah scold him.

"Don't worry Sarah." May said with a smile.

Sarah gave May a puzzled look.

"When we traveled together I used to have my swimsuit underneath my clothes. I'm sure Ash remembered that," She then turned to Ash. "Isn't that right Ash?"

Ash looked at May and the others. Then he said.

"Oh! Look at the clock, I gotta go and change!"

He ran away after the guys and gave no answer to the girls.

Ash looked at the rodent clinging to his shoulder.

"Why did you come to Pikachu?" Ash asked the rodent. "You don't need to change."

"Pikachu, Pi Pika Pi Chu!" Pikachu stated.

"Yeah, but I don't think that the girls fury would have come over you just because you're my pokemon." Ash smiled to his little companion.

Pikachu rubbed his cheek against Ash's as response.

Ash walked in to the changing room and put his backpack on the bench, from it he took up a pair of black trunks with a flame at the right side. Pikachu gave him a puzzled look.

"Sorry Pikachu." Ash said with a smile. "They didn't have any Pikachu motive."

Pikachu seemed to accept the answer and sat himself on the bench and waited for Ash to be done changing.

After a half minute Ash was done. He packed down his clothes in his backpack and decided to leave it there, the room were filled with other people's clothes and bags. He just took his belt containing his pokeballs and a towel from his backpack.

"You ready Pi?" He asked his faithful companion.

"Pika!" It exclaimed happily.

The two friends walked out of the room.

After a while they met up with the rest of the males in the group, Gary wore gray trunks, Max wore green, Tracey wore white. Brock seemed to have some red swimming trunks with no legs, in other words: The girls that walked past him giggled or ran away.

"Hi guys!" Ash said and tried to sound excited, but he surely didn't feel excited about this.

"Hello Ash, long time no seen." Tracey joked. "Let's meet up with the girls!"

"I agree!" The others said.

* * *

The girls had been done changing long before the guys, most because they all wore their swimsuits under their regular clothes. Misty wore a yellow once-piece swimsuit and Sarah wore a green. Dawn was wearing a blue two-piece suit. They had spread out some towels on the sand to make some kind of pick-nick blanket.

"The guys surely takes long!" Dawn complained.

"Yeah, isn't it nice for a change for once?" Misty joked.

All of the girls began to laugh.

"I don't see what's so funny with that!" Came a voice from an annoyed Max.

The girls stopped laugh and got up on their feet, then they began to laugh again at the sight of Brock.

"Brock!" Misty almost yelled at him through her laughter. "What did you think when you put THAT on you?!"

"Just laugh!" Brock said with confidence. "Just wait until the ladies falls all over me!"

He then walked towards a pair girls that were sunbathing on the beach, but he didn't notice the blue frog that walked after him.

The girls shook their heads and turned their gazes to the rest of the boys.

Their eyes got stuck on Ash, the boy that they had known four years ago were weak as an ant and hadn't showed any sign of muscles. But they boy that were in front of them now had a very muscular body, not so much that it was disgusting, but according to May it was all... perfect.

"Hello! Earth to May!" Max said as she waved his hand in front of May's eyes.

May snapped out from her thoughts and felt some liquid on the corner of her mouth. May blushed as she looked down to the ground and used the back of her hand to dry of the little saliva in the corner of her mouth. When she got the courage to look up she saw a slight blushing Ash that were rubbing his side on his stomach once again and was glaring at Sarah.

"Why did you do that?" Ash asked with an angry look at the little girl.

"If you weren't to busy to looking at May you would've noticed that you looked like a completely idiot!"

Ash's blush deepened as he rubbed the back of his head.

May's blush also deepened when she pictured Ash looking at her. But her blush quickly disappeared when she saw something on Ash's stomach.

"What did you do to your stomach Ash?" May asked carefully.

"What do you mean May?" Max asked her confused.

May pointed at the 10 centimeters mark on the right side of Ash's stomach.

The mark got the attention from the rest of the group.

"Yeah Ash, what happened to you?" Tracey asked confused.

"It's nothing." Ash grunted, he didn't want to tell them, he didn't think they were ready for the story.

"He got it from a knife wound!" Sarah said, she was excited that she knew something that the rest of the group didn't.

"You WHAT?!?" The group yelled.

Ash glared at the girl, Sarah understood that she should remain silent during the conversation.

"You can change a lot in four years." Ash just said and walked towards the water, Pikachu still sitting on his shoulder.

"What did he mean by that?" May asked the little girl.

Sarah didn't respond her, she ran after Ash towards the water instead.

* * *

The water was cool, but not cold. It was just the right temperature to relax in. However, a rodent thought that it would be fun to use his paw and splash water on his master's face.

Unfortunately, Pikachu had forgot that he had placed himself on his master's head because he didn't want to have his fur wet. Let's just say that people around could hear a "Pikaaaaa!" and see a yellow thing fly in the air and then hear a splash.

Ash chuckled at the sight of the flying rodent, he knew that Pikachu wouldn't be in any danger, he just hated to get wet.

Ash felt something grab his foot and pull him under water, he began kick around and when he finally reached the surface he saw a beautiful laughing brunette.

"You should have seen your face Ash!" May said laughing. "You looked so surprised!"

Ash looked around, everybody were inside the water, Tracey and Gary had some sort of swimming contest with each other with Misty as judge, Dawn and Sarah were on the shallow water and had a friendly chat and Brock... you couldn't see Brock, the only thing you could see were a snorkel that were heading towards a group of girls in their twenties that were playing in the water.

Ash looked back at May, she was still laughing.

"I think I know how I looked like." Ash said with an evil smile.

He slowly approached May.

"Did I looked like This!" At `This´ he took up May bridal style and lifted her over the water. May was both shrieking, blushing and laughing as she tried to get out of his grip.

"Don't you DARE throw me into the water Ash Ketchum!" She yelled laughing.

Ash smiled and threw her into the water, soaking her whole body.

When May came up coughing from the water she saw a laughing Ash.

Ash suddenly stopped when he saw the look on May's face, anger.

"May, what's wrong?" Ash asked carefully.

"What did I said to you when we began our journey?" May asked with a forced smile.

"That you would trade pokemon for a trip around the world?"

"No, I told you that a girls hair is her life." May said and made a gesture towards her soaked hair. "What does this looks like to you?"

Ash was silent for a while, then he said one word.

"Beautiful."

May was greatly astonished at Ash's word, all her anger was gone. She didn't know why, but she felt her body move towards his and saw that Ash was doing the same thing, they were just a few centimeters from each other right now, you could almost touch the tension in the air between them.

May felt that she was so close, just a little bit more... a little more.

"What are you doing?"

Both May and Ash jumped slightly at the voice of Sarah. They looked around and saw Dawn had her hands clasped over Sarah's mouth.

Dawn mouthed `sorry´ to Ash and May and dragged Sarah towards the beach.

Ash and May looked at each other again, there was a silence. Ash then began talking.

"I.... We should get back to the beach." Ash said with a sigh.

"Yeah, you're right." May said with a disappointed voice.

They had been on the beach for so long that it was getting dark, but it was still a high temperature in the air. The gang of teenagers walked towards their hotel. It was only Dawn, Sarah and Misty that were talking to each other, the rest of them felt like they didn't had achieved what they wanted. There was only one thought in the heads of the rest: "_Maybe tomorrow._"

**End of Chapter 14**

* * *

**Well that was nice, wasn't it?**

**Don't think there's so much to say this time, vote on Gary or Tracey, don't forget to vote on the poll.**

**All that's left to say is:**

**Happy New Year!  
**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hello fellow readers and writers!**

**Here's the next chapter from my first and only story (But I'll make another one after this one.)**

**Reminder: Vote on the poll and vote on Gary or Tracey (Last chance! Next chapter I'm going to pair one of them up with Misty!)**

**I knew that many of you looked forward for the battle in this chapter, unfortunately I had to shorten it (you'll see what I mean), but next chapter I promise you I'll give you a full battle!**

**(Some scenes in this chapter may not be proper for children under 15 (just so you know!))**

**Enjoy the chapter and R&R afterward!  
**

* * *

Ash woke up with a great yawn, he hadn't been able to get much sleep, there were so many thoughts going through his head. He kicked off his sheet and got up from the bed.

"Pika!" Was the sound of the angered mouse.

"Sorry Pi, I forgot that you slept on my bed." Ash said slight sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Pi Pikachu?"

"No, I didn't get much sleep, how about you buddy?" Ash asked his pokemon with a tired smile.

Pikachu looked at him for a moment with a slight frown.

"Pikachu! Pi pika pi cu!" Pikachu scolded Ash.

"Hey! As I recalled it it was you that splashed water at my face." The raven haired trainer defended himself. "You started it, it's just to suffer the consequences."

Pikachu seemed to accept the answer, or he just waited for a good moment to strike. Ash shrugged his shoulders and got dressed. When he had pulled his shirt over his body he felt a yellow rodent jump onto his shoulder. Ash looked and smiled at the little electric pokemon that seemed to had forgiven him. He opened the door and headed to the cafeteria.

"Ready to meet the others?" Ash asked with a slightly cheerful tone.

"Pika!" The little rodent stated happily and threw his right paw into the air.

"That's good Pikachu." Ash said with a smile. "Just don't overdo yourself."

Pikachu rubbed the back of its head as he got transported on the trainer's shoulder towards the cafeteria.

Ash looked around, he seemed to be alone again.

"_I thought that I was up late..._" Ash thought with irony.

"Ash!" Was the sound of a voice that Ash really did enjoy to hear. He smiled as he turned around and saw a brunette girl running towards him.

"Hi May!" Ash said with a cheerful tone. "Beautiful as ever I see..."

Ash shut his mouth, he felt himself turn into a slight shade of red and saw that the girl in front of him had turned into a deep shade of red. May looked down towards the ground and stuttered.

"W... What?" She asked with her uncertain voice.

I..." Ash cleared his throat. "I... just said good morning."

Ash wanted to order Pikachu to shock him for his own stupidity.

"Oh..." May said with a slightly disappointed voice and looked down towards the ground. She then shrugged it off and looked at Ash, the red on her cheeks had almost disappeared.

"Why are you up so early?" She asked curiously.

"I'm always up early." Ash replied calmly.

"What do you mean by that?"

Ash seemed to hesitate, but then he decided.

"Let's sit down and I'll explain." He sighed.

May nodded and they walked over towards the food and got what they wanted at their plates, then they sat next to each other on a table that were big enough for eight people.

Ash looked down and ate, he didn't really want to tell.

"So, spit it up!" May said with her returned self-assurance.

Ash looked at her with a confusing look, he then swallowed his food and said.

"I prefer to swallow what I'm eating..." He said with a little smile.

"Don't stall it! You know what I meant!" May scolded him.

Ash's smile turned to a frown as he looked down at his plate, he felt Pikachu rub his paw at the side of Ash's head for comfort.

"It all started for three and a half years ago." Ash said with a sigh. "The images became blurry, but the longer time that passed the clearer it got."

Ash didn't seem to want to continue. He looked down at his plate once again and placed Pikachu on the table and handed him a bottle of ketchup.

"Go on." May encouraged him.

Ash looked into May's eyes with renewed strength.

"I thought it would disappear after a while, but the longer time it got the more I remembered it. I didn't want to sleep, I could stay up for over 42 hours. I would've certainly collapsed if it weren't for my pokemon, they used Sleep Powder on me so I had to sleep."

"Why couldn't you sleep?" May asked with her voice filled with concern.

Ash took another deep sigh.

"The reason I don't sleep for long anymore is because I'm being woken up by the images of my mother's death. How she got killed and how I just stood there and let it happen..."

May gasped as she saw something wet come down from Ash's eye, she took her finger and removed the single tear that was coming down his face. Ash looked at her and it was like she almost could feel the pain and sorrow he had gone through. Without hesitation she hugged Ash, Ash seemed to stiffen up at first, but then the trainer relaxed and wrapped his arms around her to and took in the strawberry-like scent of her hair. The both of them thought like they could be like this forever, that was until they recognized the cheerful voice of a blue haired girl that was coming down the stairs. Ash and May quickly let go of each other and returned to their seats.

"Don't worry Ash." May whispered to him. "I'm sure it will go away."

Ash didn't know why, but he felt like she was right.

"Thanks May... for everything." Ash said with a low voice so just she could hear.

"Hi guys!" Brock and Dawn said at the same time. "You're up early."

"I'm always up early." Ash said shortly.

"And I couldn't sleep." May said with a smile and faked a yawn.

Brock was about to respond her but was interrupted by some other familiar voices.

"Morning guys!" Max said as he, Misty, Gary and Tracey walked into the cafeteria.

"How does it feels to be one of the eight best trainers in the world?" Brock asked Ash with a smile.

"It doesn't feels like a big deal, there's still seven left to beat." Ash stated calmly to the older breeder.

Brock seemed a little taken back by his sentence, but then he smiled. "Where did the cheerful, overconfident boy that I used to know go?" He said with his smile still on.

"Honestly? I have no idea." Ash said calmly as he continued to eat his food.

"Well, we better hurry." Misty said to the others. "The match begins in a half hour."

The group seemed to get slightly panicked as they began eat as quickly as they good.

Ash observed the group with a smile, he then turned to May that had finished eaten.

"Did they use to say that we didn't have any eating-manner?" Ash joked with a smile.

May giggled but didn't respond.

"You should get ready to Ash!" Gary said to his former rival. "You have to pick what pokemon you're going to use, it's a six on six battle now!"

Max's eyes seemed to lit up by that piece of information.

"Don't worry." Ash replied calmly. "I did it last night."

Gary shrugged his shoulders and continued to eat. Ash turned to the short trainer.

"You know who I'm going to be up against?"

Max nodded his head eagerly and swallowed the food he had in his mouth.

"You're going to face James Curtis!" Max stated with pride, mostly because he knew something that Ash didn't.

"Never heard of." Ash shrugged.

"He's a very successful frontier brain at the Battle Frontier in Johto!" Max said with his voice filled with excitement. "He isn't recognized by many, but they say that he has never been beaten!"

"I doubt that." Ash said with a little smile at the boy's naive mind. "Even the elites has been beaten."

"Yeah yeah." Max responded with nonchalantly "It's just a quarter left until the battle starts!"

Ash nodded and got up from the table, followed by his friends.

"By the way Ash." Dawn said. "Where's Sarah?"

Ash was about to respond, then he remembered that he had forgot to lock up the door to her room.

"Shit!" Ash shouted as he ran up towards their room with a laughing rodent clinging on his shoulder.

"You knew about this Pikachu?" Ash asked while running.

"Pika!"

Ash sighed. "You and I need to have a talk after this..."

He then continued to run towards the room, he could already hear the banging noises on the door.

* * *

"What's with him?" Dawn asked puzzled as they watched Ash run towards the stairs.

"I have no idea." Tracey said calmly. "But I think that we're going to get an answer soon."

The group decided to wait for a moment. It was all silence, nobody heard a word and nobody spoke. Then they heard some sounds, and it got clearer and clearer.

"Ash! You better let me down or I'll kick your ass!"

"Was that... Sarah?" Misty asked with a confused voice, the group didn't seem to respond her.

Instead they looked at the tall trainer coming towards them with a little rodent on the left shoulder and a little girl on the right. Ash seemed to grit his teeth as Sarah tried to punch and kick him.

"Let's go." Ash said shortly to the group.

The group nodded and, with Sarah still on Ash's shoulder, they walked towards the field.

* * *

The had been walking for about two minutes. The group were chatting happily with each other, except for Ash and Pikachu. Ash and his faithful companion seemed to be in deep thoughts. May noticed that and walked up to him.

"Is something wrong Ash?"

Ash seemed to jump slightly when he heard May's words, he then looked at her and smiled.

"I'll tell you what's wrong! Getting dragged out of the bed and abducted by an idiot and his rat!"

"Be quiet Sarah!" Ash scolded the girl over his shoulder. "You didn't knock on your door as usual, that's why I forgot you."

He then turned to May again.

"It's nothing...." Ash said with the same hesitation as May had heard when they ate breakfast.

"Ash..." May responded annoyed.

"Okay, It's just..." Ash looked for the right words. "It was a really long time ago since I had a battle in front of an audience that were cheering on me and supported me, what if I mess up?"

May giggled, Ash gave her a irritated look.

"Sorry." May apologized. "It's just that you're more worried now than when you were twelve years old in Hoenn."

Ash looked at May's smile. He slowly felt a smile grew on his face as well.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Ash chuckled. "I've been away for such a long time that I've forgot how it was to have a battle in front of a real audience."

"You'll do fine Ash, don't worry."

Ash smiled once again at May and earned a little blush from the brunette.

"Yeah, that's sweet and all. Let me down now!" Sarah yelled and started to punch Ash's back once again.

Ash sighed. "Alright." He then dropped down the girl on the ground.

Sarah gave him an irritated look.

"You're still angry at me?" Ash asked with a little smile.

Sarah turned her back from him.

"Too bad, then I can't tell you the news of you parents."

That sentence seemed to get Sarah's attention, and the others in the group as well.

"What's up with Sarah's parents?" Max asked the raven haired boy.

"I found Sarah a few days before I left to fight in the tournament. She had collapsed on the road for some reason, probably from exhaustion. I took her up and carried her to Professor Oak's lab, he treated her and asked her about her parents. She said that she didn't remember what had happen to her parents and Oak promised to look it up for her, she decided to follow me and support me in the tournament. She got clothes and dresses from Samuel before we left." Ash finished.

"Why did Professor Oak had dresses at his place?" Dawn asked puzzled.

"So what did grandpa say about Sarah's parents?" Gary interrupted Dawn.

"Well." Ash smiled and turned towards the little girl. "Your parents will come tomorrow, they will explain to you what happened. Oak has already talked to them but he thought that we should hear their story from themselves."

The group smiled at the sight of the jumping cheerful girl. But Ash felt a little sting in his heart, he was all alone. But he didn't want to show it to the others, he smiled as the other towards the little girl.

"Let's win that battle Pi." Ash said to his rodent and walked to the field.

"Pika!"

The group continued to walk towards a big building.

"Woah!" Tracey stated when he looked at it. "Look at the size of that thing!"

"That's just the a building where the top eight matches is. The semi and finals will be held in the biggest building on the island!" Max stated amazed.

"How many people can fit in that thing?" Dawn asked astounded.

"The stands can take up to 3200 people, including the ones that get the honorary seats!"

The group looked strangely at the short trainer.

"What?" Max said annoyed. "When you listen you'll learn!"

"Are you ready for this Ash?" Brock asked the young trainer.

Ash didn't respond, instead he smirked and walked out. Ash had trained himself for years to feel the sound and vibrations to know how the surroundings looked like.

The group looked puzzled. Then May noticed.

"Where's the cheers?"

The group, except Ash, were dumbfound when they looked out, it was almost empty! The only people out there were Ash, a referee, his opponent and a woman around her twenties. The woman had red eyes and black hair with some red locks. She was around Brock's length and had gazing eyes. Ash immediately recognized her. He was about to say something, but someone else got before him.

"Lucy!" May cheered as she ran towards her.

Pike Queen Lucy seemed to be confused at the brown haired girl's sudden outburst. Then she recognized her.

"May Maple. It's nice to see you again." Lucy said with a calm tone. "Are you the challenger?"

"No!" May giggled and made a gesture towards the group. "Do you remember anyone?"

Lucy gazed the group, she smiled when she saw Max and blushed a little when she saw Brock.

"I recognize Max and Brock." Lucy said to May. "But who's the others?"

"This is our friends!" May said and made a gesture towards them. "This is Sarah, Gary, Misty, Tracey and Dawn!"

"Nice to meet you." Lucy said and gave a short nod.

"The same!" The group responded in chorus.

"Are you sure you don't remember him?" May asked and made a gesture towards the raven haired boy.

Lucy focused her eyes on the boy, but she couldn't recognize him.

"I'm sorry." Lucy replied. "Is this your boyfriend?"

"What?! N... No!" May yelled blushing and waved her hands in front of her. "This is Ash!"

"Ash." Lucy said with a smile. "It's nice to see that you've come back, the Battle Frontier were shaken by your disappearance."

Ash gave a short nod along with Pikachu.

"What's the matter Ash?" Max asked. "Why are you acting so cold?"

Ash didn't respond, he just let his auburn eyes gaze over Lucy and his opponent.

"Stop acting so rude Ash!" Dawn scolded him, there was still no reaction from Ash.

Lucy smiled.

"Don't worry." She assured them. "Ash just knows that the battle has started before the trainers has sent out their pokemon."

The group looked puzzled on Lucy.

"I'll try to explain. Ash refuses to say something because he doesn't want to give his opponent a slightest chance to find out his strategy or moves. You can also see that my cousin acts the same way."

"Your cousin!?" The group, except Ash, yelled at the same time.

"Yes," Lucy said with a smile. "Let me introduce you to my cousin James Curtis from Hoenn!"

James just nodded at them. He was around 35 years old and 1.8 meters tall, he had dark brown hair that fell into his eyes, it looked similar to Paul's, he had serious blue-gray eyes and a scar on his left cheek, it looked like two parallel lines that were running from his eye to his chin. He glared intensely at Ash and Pikachu, and they did the same thing to him.

"What happened to your cheek?" Max asked curious the male Frontier Brain.

James didn't respond.

Lucy sighed. "He got it from a Sneasel when he was walking through the woods."

"Ha!" Came a voice from a little girl. "Ash's scar has a much cooler story!"

Everyone's eyes looked at the little girl, even the two opponents broke their glare and looked at the girl.

"Mind telling us then?" Dawn asked with a frown.

"Umm.." Sarah said insecure and looked at the glare Ash was giving her.

"Lucy!"

Everyone jumped slightly from the breeders outburst.

Brock rushed forward and took her hands.

"My love! I've been waiting for you for ages! Who knew the cruel fate destiny had played on us!"

Misty and Max sighed. They began to walk towards the breeder, only to be restrained by May and Dawn. They gave them a confusing look.

"Croagunk isn't coming out!" May whispered to them. "And look on Lucy's face!"

It was true, Croagunk didn't come out from his ball and Lucy seemed like she enjoyed it.

"Why don't we...." Brock continued.

However, James thought that it was enough for now. He walked up to Brock and pushed him away from Lucy.

"Hit at my cousin anytime you want." His voice was much darker than Ash's. "But I'm here to battle!"

Brock trembled under his voice. He just nodded and backed away to the group.

"Where are the audience?" The little girl asked.

"Well." Lucy started with her cheeks still a little red. "My guess is that since neither of James and Ash are what you could call a celebrity, and both Lance and Karen is still in the tournament, the crowd just didn't want to waste their time of a battle between two unfamiliar trainers."

The group were taken back by her words, they thought that it was a little to harsh said of her. Lucy noticed that and smiled apologetic.

* * *

"Let's get this battle started, shall we?" The referee called out.

The two trainers nodded and walked to their sides of the field.

"This will be a battle between Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town in Kanto and James Curtis from Violet City in Johto!" The referee shouted and raised his traditional red and green flags. "It will be a six on six battle! There will be no substitutions or time-limit and the battle is over when all pokemon on each side are unable to battle!"

The referee pointed with the red flag at Ash.

"The red corner! Send out your first pokemon!"

Ash unattached a pokeball from his belt, looked at it for a little. Then he threw it.

"Staraptor! I need your assistance!"

The giant bird took air and let out a mighty shriek.

James observed his opponent's pokemon, he then summoned a pokeball into his hand.

"Luxray! Shut that thing down!"

The lion-like pokemon took his stance and growled fiercely at Staraptor.

"Let the battle begin!"

* * *

Sarah looked at the battle with big eyes, it had never been so intense! The two trainers and pokemon battled as their lived were at stake.

It had begin with that Staraptor managed to take down Luxray, but not after got hit by a powerful Thunder attack. Staraptor got then defeated by James's Rampardos, The rock pokemon had hit Staraptor with a huge flying boulder, sent him crashing to the ground. Ash had then called out Heracross and sent him to battle the giant pokemon, Heracross took him down with ease due to its fighting moves. But Heracross's luck changed when James sent out Gliscor, Gliscor took down Heracross, but Heracross refused to give up without a fight, it had managed to land a Megahorn on the giant bat. Ash sent out his Feraligatr and the big jaw-pokemon took down Gliscor with a little effort.

When three of the pokemon on one side had gotten defeated the trainers took a short brake. Ash didn't talk much under it, he mostly listened to what the other had to say to him.

Then James confused everyone by sending out his Typhlosion, but it later revealed that Typhlosion known SolarBeam, he managed to land a big hit on Feraligatr before he got defeated by a great jet of water. James had then sent out his Gallade. The fight raged between the two pokemon, both refusing letting their master's down, but it soon stood that Gallade was the winner of that battle, he slashed the blue pokemon with one of his swords and sent him to the ground.

Ash sent out his Gliscor that was more than eager to fight for its trainer. The two pokemon charged towards each other but it was clear who was the winner. Gliscor managed to come up behind Gallade and dealt several critical attacks to its back.

The group cheered when James recalled his pokemon, but they stopped when they saw the little smirk on his scarred face, he smiled even if his opponent had three pokemon left and he just had one.

James called out his Gabite, Gliscor had been badly damaged under his battle with Gallade so he fainted rather quick. Ash then sent out his Crawdaunt to battle the dragon/ground-pokemon. The crowd gasped when they saw James Curtis's pokemon take down the water-pokemon with a little trouble.

"Oh no!" Max said horrified. "Ash only has Pikachu left!"

* * *

James smirked at his opponent, you could see that his Gabite was a little tired, but only a little.

Ash looked at his little rodent.

"Pikachu, go and sit with the others."

Pikachu nodded and jumped to the stands.

"What?!" James called out. "You aren't allowed to change pokemon under the battle!"

Ash looked at him with a smirk bigger than the one James had before.

"I haven't changed pokemon." Ash said as he took another pokeball from his waist. "Torterra! I choose you!"

* * *

"I don't get it." Misty stated as she watched the trainer with great confusion.

"Look at the scoreboard Misty." Brock smiled.

At the board was a picture on each of the trainer and had six pokemon around each of the photos. At the lower bottom were pictures of Gabite and Torterra.

"I still don't get it." Misty replied.

"I think I do." Lucy said with her calm voice while sneaking glances at Brock. "You see, Ash only carried Pikachu on his shoulder without registering him in this battle, I think that it was his intentions to fool my cousin into believe that he was going to use him!"

"And by the look of it it seems to work!" May said happily as she saw James gritting his teeth.

* * *

"Begin the battle!" The referee shouted and lowered his two flags once again.

"Dragon Pulse!"

"Energy Ball"

The two pokemon opened their mouths and sent out a big ball towards each other, both were green except that Torterra's was slightly bigger and more living inside.

The two attack collided with each other and made a huge explosion in the middle of the already destroyed field.

"Take air Gabite!" James called out.

His pokemon spread out the little of his wings and moved into the air.

"So, he can fly." Ash said calmly.

"The only of his kind!" James replied with a smirk. "You've lost this battle!"

"A battle is never over as long as my pokemon is still standing!" Ash calmly but a little threatening said.

"We'll see about that, Use Flamethrower!"

"Protect!"

Gabite opened it's mouth and let out a big flame towards the shell-pokemon. But Torterra summoned a almost invisible barrier in front of himself and blocked the attack with it.

"Take him down with Brick Break!" James ordered his pokemon.

"Sent him to the ground with Leaf Storm!" Ash called out.

Gabite began to move in on Torterra with one of its arms glowing white. Suddenly, Torterra's tree began to glow green, then a small tornado of leaves sent flying towards the landshark-pokemon.

Gabite roared with pain as the leafs struck into him, loosing his focus and sent him crashing to the ground.

"Gabite!" James Curtis called out to his pokemon. "Are you alright?"

Gabite got up from the ground with a roar and took air again.

"Good, let's use Dragon Rush!"

Gabite growled as he began to sprint towards the green pokemon, its head began to glow light blue as his speed raised.

"Use Protect again Torterra!" Ash told his pokemon.

"Torr!" Torterra grunted.

"Really?" Ash asked irritated.

Torterra nodded his head, Gabite was just a few meters away.

"Use Light Screen quick!" Ash roared.

Torterra closed his eyes and focused. A second later came Gabite crashing into him. Torterra grunted in pain as he was pushed back due to the force of the attack, but he seemed to have taken much damage from it.

* * *

"What just happened?" Dawn asked confused.

"I think Ash tried to use Protect but Torterra told him that it didn't work, so Ash called out Light Screen." Gary explained calmly. "And it's a good thing that he did, it looks like the attack would've taken out Torterra if it succeeded."

* * *

James seemed confident now, the match was his!

"Use Giga Impact!"

"_Wait for it Torterra, this may be our last chance._" Ash thought for himself. "_We need to get this to work, you can't take much more._"

Somehow Torterra seemed to understand what Ash thought, it grunted as in agreement.

Gabite moved closer and closer to Torterra and began to roar. Torterra stood brave and refused to move a step. Both Torterra and Ash closed their eyes and focused, listened on the sound of feet and movement, felt the shaking to the ground. Ash suddenly opened his eyes.

"Grass Knot!" Ash roared to his pokemon.

"Terra!" Torterra roared as his eyes glowed green, he summoned a vine of grass that launched itself towards Gabite. The grass tied around Gabite's feet and tripped him. He grunted in pain as he fell on the ground.

"What?!" James called out, he clearly hadn't been expecting this.

"Finish this now Torterra! Frenzy Plant!" Ash roared with all his might to his pokemon.

Torterra began to glow bright green, he then raised himself to his back feet and began falling to the ground with his two front feet.

"Use Flamethrower now!" James called out too his tied down pokemon.

Torterra crashed his two front feet into the ground and summoned several giant roots, at the same time as Gabite opened its mouth and sent a powerful flame of fire towards his opponent. The two attacks stuck them at the same time, both the pokemon roared in pain as they rolled or fell down.

"Torterra/Gabite!" The two trainers called out.

The pokemon laid on the ground in great pain, both of them struggled to get up. Gabite tried to lift himself up with his two arms, but his arms gave in and he stayed down. Torterra slowly bent his right front leg, then he bent his left, and with a great roar he got up on his front legs, then he slowly got up on his back legs and panted heavily.

"Gabite is unable to battle! Torterra wins the battle!" The referee cleared and lowered one of his flags. "The winner of this match is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town in Kanto!"

* * *

"He did it!" May cheered from her seat.

"I got to say that this match was really close." Gary said with a relieved smile.

* * *

"You did great Torterra, I'm very proud of you." Ash said with a smile as he recalled his pokemon.

He looked over to the other side of the field and saw the other trainer pet his defeated pokemon and then recall it.

The two trainers began to walk towards each other, both with the same serious look as in the beginning of the match, on the way Ash felt a little rodent jump onto his shoulder. The distance between the two trainers was about a half meter. They looked each other into the eyes and kept their strict look on.

"You battled good." James finally said.

"You too, I was really impressed by your Gabite's strength." Ash replied.

The two trainers looked at each other a little more, then Ash noticed James's hand being stretched out as a gesture. Ash took it and smiled, he received a smile from James to.

"You have a long way to go Ash Ketchum." James said in a calm tone. "But I think you'll make it if you do your best."

"Thank you James Curtis." Ash said with a smile. "I won't disappoint you."

By this time the spectators had reached the two trainers.

"That was AWESOME!" Max said in ave to the trainers. "I've never seen such a intense battle!"

"You did great. Both of you." Lucy said calmly. "If you don't mind James, I want to stay here a little longer."

James looked at her and saw that she kept sneaking glances at a certain breeder.

"It's Okay Lucy, but I would've preferred if you picked Ash instead." He said in a joking manner.

"What!?" Was the sound of four voices. The rest of the looked at a blushing Brock, Lucy, Ash and May.

"I gotta go, cya!" James said as he walked towards the exit without looking down.

The group watched him leave, then they looked at each other.

"Well Ash, congratulations for making it to the top four!" Brock said with a smile.

"Thanks Brock, but it isn't over yet." Ash responded with a sigh.

Then they heard a speaker and cheer.

"**AMAZING PEOPLE! LANCE THE DRAGON MASTER HAS DEFEATED THE HOENN CHAMPION WALLACE AND WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ROUND!!**"

"Look's like I'm going to face Lance." Ash said after a half minute of silence.

"Yeah..." The group responded him silently.

"I got to go and do a thing, I'll meet up with you later." Ash said in his calm, deep voice and walked away.

"Where are you going?" May called out after him.

Ash didn't respond and continued to walk.

* * *

Ash had just left his pokemon to the center and had exchanged some of them, he walked down to the harbor with a little rodent and a pokeball into his hand. When he reached the shore he stopped and threw the ball into the air.

"Pidgeooot!" Was the cry of Pidgeot as he was summoned.

"Pidgeot." Ash said calmly. "I need you to find our friend and ask him if he wants to help me, can you do that?"

Pidgeot nodded and took air.

"I need both of you back here tomorrow!" Ash called out to his flying pokemon. He then turned to his little rodent. "You think they'll make it?"

Pikachu nodded eagerly and began to rub his little tummy as a sign of that it was hungry. Ash chuckled at the sight and walked towards the restaurant that they were going to meet up at.

* * *

"Where is he?" An annoyed May asked irritated. "He would've been here for a long time ago!"

"Correction May." Max said tiredly. "He's only five minutes late! Calm down, your boyfriend will come!"

May was about to strangle her brother, but then she spotted Ash walking towards them with the little rodent on his shoulder. May got up and placed her hands on her hips.

"Where have you been?" She asked Ash angrily.

"You ask to much, you know that?" Ash responded her with a smile.

May felt herself slowly melt away by the warmth of the smile, she got a dreamy look for a moment until she mentally slapped herself back to reality. She got down on her chair and waited for the others to order their food.

"So Lucy." Dawn began. "Where are you staying?"

"Actually." Lucy said a little sheepishly. "I haven't got any room, I shared with James when he got into the tournament, but when he's out I have no idea where to stay."

"You can stay with us!" Dawn said excited. "It would be so cool to hang around with a strong trainer!"

"What do you call me then? A Caterpie with the brain as an Oddish?" Ash asked slightly hurt.

"Well, I wouldn't call you the sharpest and most educated brain in here!" Dawn said with a giggle that soon many joined in.

Ash thought for a moment, then he said with a clear voice.

"Det finns ingen anledning för mig att sänka mig till din nivå."

The group looked at him puzzled.

"What did you say?" Dawn asked in confusion.

"A line that I picked up from all my travels, it sounds silly but it makes me to calm down and not start a verbal fight with anyone." Ash said calmly. "I don't know what language it is, some says that it's from a time before pokemon existed."

The group looked at him even more confused. "So what does it mean?" Tracey asked Ash.

"That's something that you need to figure out by yourself." Ash tiredly said. "I'm off for a walk, anyone wanna join me?"

"I do!" May said directly and got up.

"Well, that was unexpected." Max stated with his voice filled with sarcasm, he got a bump on his head for that sentence.

"let's go then." Ash said with a smile, he offered May his arm and May blushed slightly but took it.

"Pikachu." Ash then said. "You mind staying with Sarah."

Pikachu got the wink and nodded and jumped onto Sarah's head.

"Don't wait up for us." May joked as they walked away.

* * *

They walked along the beach, it had already turned out to be evening. They talked about everything all from when they first met and their plans in the future, but they avoided to talk about Ash's disappearance, neither of them wanted to talk about that. Even if they talked Ash could just focus on one thing, how beautiful May looked in the light of the moon. She had black tight shorts and a white blouse, her hair was down to her back and moved freely in the wind, her eyes were the most beautiful things Ash had ever seen they sparkled like blue stars even in the night.

"Ash?" May asked and interrupted Ash from his thoughts. "Are you OK?"

"Y... Yeah, I'm fine May." Ash responded her with a little smile.

"Is the great pokemon master blushing?" May teased him, and he was really blushing.

"Um, no..." Ash said a little embarrassed.

"It's okay Ash." May said as she snuggled closer to Ash's arm, earning herself a little blush. "It's alright to be human."

Ash chuckled slightly and remained silent and deep in his thoughts at the rest of the way.

They came to the hotel that they were staying in, it was so late that the others probably had got to sleep already.

Ash took a deep breath.

"May."

May looked at him.

"There's something I need to say."

"What Ash?" May asked with her voice filled with hope.

"After my mother had died, I tried to deny my feelings for everything. I tried to convince myself that I didn't have any feelings left, but when I met Sarah and noticed her stubbornness you came into my mind." Ash said with an uncertain smile as he saw the blush on May's face. "And when I met you I felt something I never felt on a long time."

Ash slowly walked closer to May.

"What Ash?" The blushing May asked and also walked closer to the slight blushing trainer.

"I felt..."

"Are you guys still up?"

May and Ash jumped away from each other as they heard the voice of a familiar person.

"Sarah! Go to bed!" Ash ordered the little girl.

"Pikapi pikachu." Pikachu said with a sad tone.

"It's okay Pi, just get Sarah to her bed." Ash said with a sad smile.

Pikachu nodded and began to push Sarah towards the stairs.

"Well, we better go to bed to." May said disappointed and walked towards the stairs.

"May wait!" Ash almost yelled and took her arm.

May turned towards Ash and looked into his deep, warm auburn eyes.

"There's something I need to tell you." Ash took a deep breath. "When I first met you I thought that you had a wonderful personality, you was caring and helpful and kind, everything! And after we had traveled through the Hoenn region I developed some kind of crush on you, but I didn't dare to say anything."

Ash took another deep breath and looked at the dumbfound and blushing May.

"And when I chased you and you tripped and I got to carry you back to your house and you gave me a quick kiss on the lips." Both Ash and May blushed at the memory. "I felt something I never felt before, but I didn't know what it was so I tried to ignore it. After my mother died I denied every feeling, but when I saw you again I felt the same feeling in my body, but now I knew what it was."

Ash took a step towards May, the distance was just a few centimeters.

"The feeling I felt was love, I love you May Maple. Even if you don't feel the same I'll always love you."

Ash turned away and started to walk towards the stairs with his head down.

"Wait!" Ash almost jumped by May's outburst. He turned around and saw May with watery eyes.

"Don't you dare walk away from me again Ash Ketchum." May said as she slung herself into Ash's arms and made contact with his lips.

Ash wrapped his arms around May's back and May wrapped hers around Ash's neck. May felt Ash's tongue request permission to enter her mouth. May happily let Ash's tongue explore her mouth and she did the same with hers. May giggled and moaned as Ash's tongue explored different places in her mouth. May jumped up and wrapped her legs against Ash's waist and felt Ash's hands under her thighs for support. She felt Ash push her gently up against a wall and continue to explore her mouth as May did the same to him. They continued so for a few minutes, neither of them wanted to stop.

"That's so cute!"

May and Ash immediately let go of each other at the sound of the squeal. They looked and saw Dawn stand there and turn into a deep shade of red. She then, before Ash and May could say anything, darted up towards the stairs and left them there in an awkward silence.

The couple looked at each other for a moment with a smile on their faces.

"I love you to Ash Ketchum." May said with glimmering eyes, "Always have and always will!"

"Thanks May." Ash said and felt something he never felt in a long time... happiness. "Shall we continue this tomorrow?"

"Well, since Dawn's going to tell everyone what we did... I'd love to!" May said as she quickly gave Ash a quick peck on his lips and ran up to the stairs.

"Pika?"

Ash turned around and saw the little rodent look up from the stairs.

"Yes Pi, I'm alright now." Ash said with a smile that Pikachu hadn't seen in a long time.

**End of Chapter 15**

* * *

**Well, nice with some romance in it wasn't it? (even if it was really cheesy and corny!)**

**There isn't much to say.**

**Remember: Review, vote on both the poll and Misty.**

**The 'unknown language' wasn't so important, I actually don't know why I put that in, I think most of you have figured out what language it is and what it says.**

**R&R and I'll see you in the next chapter!  
**


	16. Chapter 16

**Finally done with this chapter!**

**I know that it's long (14,884 words!), but major events is going to happen in this one. So you just have to suck it up and read, or you just don't read it and misses the major event... It's your choice!**

**I also wants to thank/blame **XemoXskaterX **for the help with his tips, the chapter hadn't been able to get this long without him!**

**I've written the full battle: Ash vs Lance.**

**The only thing that's left to do is to remind you to vote on my poll and review after you've finished reading the chapter!**

**Enjoy the chapter!  
**

* * *

Ash slowly opened his eyes, there was a smile placed on his face.

"_I wonder if it really happened, it felt to good to be true..._" Ash thought as he laid in the bed. "_Well, true or not, I got to go and meet my friend._"

The trainer yawned as he looked around in the room, seconds later he saw the little rodent peacefully sleeping at the end of the bed. Ash chuckled at the little rodent and got up and started to shake him gentle and slow.

"Come on Pi, time to get up." Ash whispered with a little smile.

"Pi." Pikachu tiredly stated as he turned to the other side, showing that he wants to sleep more.

"You're not gonna come up?"

The only response he got was some snores. Ash sighed and put his black T-shirt on, he then opened Sarah's door. Sarah was asleep when Ash stuck his head into her room. Ash slowly shook his head and decided not to wait for neither Pikachu or Sarah. He wrote a quick note that he would be back soon, then he walked down towards the cafeteria to get something to eat.

* * *

May awoke with a yawn, she rubbed her eyes and looked around in the room. She still couldn't figure out why Dawn and Misty hadn't jumped onto her with questions about her and Ash. But when the light from the window gave her a better look at the room she understood why. Misty laid in her bed and snored, she had a pillow tightly gripped in her right hand. Dawn laid at the side of her bed She didn't snore, but you could see that she was between sleeping and unconscious. May suppressed a giggle. She had known both Misty and Dawn long enough to figure out what had happened. Dawn had probably rushed into the room and tried to get Misty up. But Misty who likes to sleep, maybe a little bit too much, had probably struck her with a pillow, hard enough for Dawn to collapse on the floor. May shivered at the thought of Misty's strength and decided to get up and get dressed.

After May had quietly taken a shower and dressed herself up, she sneaked to the door and down to the cafeteria. She couldn't wait until she saw a special black haired trainer.

* * *

Ash had just finished his breakfast, he still ate as much as before, but he eats much faster nowadays. He putted his tray at the table so the waiter could remove it later, he then was about to walk out of the restaurant.

"Ash!"

Ash stopped dead-track by the sound of the sweet voice.

"_Okay, let's see if this was a dream or not. If it was I'm going to make a fool out of myself!_" Ash thought with a gulp as he turned around and put up a smile on his face.

"Hi May, did you sleep well?"

May nodded and walked towards Ash. She then wrapped her arms around him and gave him a kiss on the lips.

"_It happened before, that's great!_" Ash thought with relief.

"Am I bothering you?" May asked with concern as she looked at the trainer.

Ash snapped out of his thoughts.

"What? No! Why would you do that?"

"Because you seems so stiffen when I kiss you." The brunette said with a sad face.

Ash didn't like it one bit when he saw the girl of his life get depressed. He smiled one of his smiles that May loved.

"I'm not used to it." He responded her with a smile.

May didn't seem to accept the answer fully.

"But what do you say about we teach me to get used to it?" Ash asked her with a bigger smile, he then closed the distance between their lips.

May giggled and wrapped her arms around Ash's neck as she responded the kiss. They stood there for a few minutes before they broke the kiss. Ash looked at the watch and groaned.

"Damn it, I'm late for my meeting!"

May gave him a puzzled look. "Meeting? What meeting?"

"A meeting with an old friend, you mind tagging along?"

"I thought you would never ask!" May said as she stuck her tongue out at Ash and winked at him.

Ash chuckled at the sight.

"Alright, let's go then!" He told her and made a gesture towards the door.

"But I haven't eaten yet!"

"Can't you take a sandwich with you?"

"That isn't enough!"

"Geez, May! You eat more food than I do!" Ash said annoyed to her.

"You're calling me fat?" May asked with a voice filled with threat and suspicion.

"N.. Not at all." Ash stuttered. "I'm just saying that I think it's awesome that you can eat more than I can and still keep your perfect figure!"

"Aww Ash!" May said sweetly as she pulled Ash in for another kiss. "You're so sweet!"

"I am?" Ash asked puzzled.

"Yeah, hasn't anyone told you that?"

"Well... truth to be told, the only things most people have said to me during these past for years are 'Stop!', 'You can't escape!' and 'You're going to die!'. Ash said sheepishly as he rubbed the backside of his head.

"What?!" May yelled shocked.

"Never mind, I'll explain later, let's go!" Ash said quickly as he took a sandwich from the counter with one hand and May's with the other. He then dragged her towards the door.

* * *

The two of them had walked in silence for a time, Ash had been looking at May with a smile as she ate her food. May had been blushing and giving Ash a puzzled look when he looked at her. But every time she asked him why he looked at her his only respond was: "Because I think you're beautiful." And each time he said that he got a peck on the cheek in return.

They had finally arrived at the docks, the sun was starting to raise at the horizon, they were really early.

"So Ash, who're we waiting for?" May asked after a minute of silence.

Ash was about to respond, but then he got hit by a mist of orange powder and felt... paralyzed?

"Ash!" May shrieked in shock as she saw the attack land on the young trainer.

"Well well, what do we got here?"

May froze at the sound of the voice. She looked and saw a big man with long yellow hair, the same man that had attacked her and her Glaceon for a few days ago.

"What do you want?" May asked angrily the man. "Release Ash now!"

"Feisty, aren't we?" The man smiled with a strange smile. "I'm just going to have some fun with you, it's your fault that the police are after me!"

"You attacked me! We didn't do anything wrong!" May yelled as she looked at the man and his Weepinbell.

"Let... her... go... now...!" Ash growled slowly as he began to break through the paralyze.

"Not this time kid! You're not so though when I have a pokemon and you can't surprise me!" The man yelled at him.

Ash felt the paralyze disappear and reached for a pokeball, only to find that they wasn't on him. He then remembered that he had left them at the pokemon center before he went to eat! He looked at May, she seemed to have done something similar. The man noticed that to and began to smile even more.

"Looks like it's my lucky day!"

May started to get scared, she looked around the dock. There was only Ash, May and that crazy man here, nobody were close them, they were all alone.

"Cut Weepinbell!" The man ordered his pokemon.

One of the plant-head's leafs began to glow white as it charged towards May and Ash. May could see Ash stand in front of her, prepared to take the full attack head on. May closed her eyes, she didn't dare to watch anymore.

May heard a scream, she still didn't dare to look up. After a half minute she decided to look up. She gasped as she saw two pokemon facing the yellow haired man. One of the pokemon was Ash's large majestic Pidgeot, the other one was dark-blue with a red underbelly. It was larger than the Pidgeot, and scarier.

"Took you long time enough!"

May looked towards the sound of the voice and saw Ash standing there... smiling.

"You want to wrap this up Pidgeot and Garchomp?" Ash asked his two pokemon, they roared in agreement.

Ash's face then got dark as he looked at the man.

"Threaten me is one thing. But NOBODY threaten my pokemon and girlfriend and gets away with it!"

May blushed at Ash's word, he still seemed to care more about his friends that himself.

"Take it easy kid, I was just fooling around!" The man assured Ash as he recalled his pokemon. "I didn't mean anything!" His voice was filled with fear.

"Enough!" Ash roared. "Sand Tomb Garchomp!"

Garchomp nodded and slashed the air with such speed and power that it made the sand around him fly towards the man and his already fainted pokemon. The man screamed as he felt the sand struck him in his face, he tried to make his way free but he was stuck. After a moment the man fainted due to the lack of air.

"That's enough Garchomp." Ash said quietly to his pokemon.

Garchomp nodded and stood in front of Ash. May got a closer look on the pokemon now, she had seen a Garchomp before. But this one was bigger than normal and some sort of necklace around its neck, at the end of the necklace was a pokeball.

"May, let me introduce you to Garchomp!" Ash said with a smile as he turned to the brunette. "Garchomp, this is my girlfriend May."

"H... How are you doing?" May asked a little scared, she was intimidated by the looks of the pokemon.

"Don't be afraid May, he never hurts innocent. Isn't that right my friend?" Ash asked his pokemon with another smile.

Garchomp nodded and sent the brunette a grin of reassurance. May felt much better.

"What's up with the pokeball around his neck?" She asked the black haired trainer.

"Oh right, thanks for reminding me May!" Ash said with a smile as he walked to the big pokemon and took the pokeball from it. "Take a nice rest Garchomp and thank you for your choice."

Garchomp nodded with a smile as he got recalled into the ball.

"Let me explain." Ash said as he and May walked towards the hotel, Pidgeot had already flew before them. "A couple of years ago I was traveling in a cave under the cycling road in Sinnoh, I saw a gang of Seviper harassing a little Gible. I sent Pikachu on them and drove them away, but when I came to the Gible I saw that he was badly damaged, so I took care of him for a couple of days. Then he wanted to follow me and requested to be a part of my team, so I captured him in a pokeball. I trained him as much and as hard as all of my pokemon so he evolved to Gabite and then to Garchomp in a very short time. But I still had my doubts, he seemed to be more interested in flying around and not follow the path I walked, so I gave him a choice. I told him that he could follow with me or that I could release him so he could live his own life."

May looked at Ash, it was not like him to say something like that to a pokemon. Ash looked at her and got what she was thinking.

"It wasn't like I just gave him the two choices." Ash assured May. "I saw how miserable he was with following the exact road I was on. But when I told him that he didn't want to be released, but he didn't want to follow every step I took. So that's when we figured out the idea with the pokeball. The ball is always around his neck, so he can decide if he wants to come with a trainer or not, and by the looks of it it seems like he hasn't found any suitable trainer for him yet."

May looked at Ash once more. "He has you." She said with a sweet smile.

"Yeah, but when I said that he liked to move I really meant it. Not even I can keep up with him." Ash stated with a slightly saddened smile.

"So he's going to help you battle Lance today?"

"That's what I thought, yes." Ash responded her with a cheerful smile this time. "He's an excellent battler and obeys my least order."

"He has a good reason to do it." May said as she gave Ash a kiss on the lips. Ash gave her a toothy grin and responded the kiss.

"Pika!"

They broke the kiss and saw a yellow rodent come running towards them.

"Hi Pikachu!" May said in a cheerful tone.

"What's up Pi?" Ash asked with a smile at the sight of his best friend.

Pikachu stopped in front of them and looked from Ash to May and gave a 'pikaa?' as question.

"Yeah, we're together." Ash said with a smile as he wrapped his arm around May.

"Is that okay with you Pikachu?" May asked the little rodent carefully.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu squealed as he jumped into May's arms and rubbed his cheek against hers. May giggled at the act.

"Pika, pikachu pi pikachu chuu!" Pikachu explained for May in a serious tone.

May just gave the rodent a puzzled look. She then looked at Ash and saw him have an embarrassed smile.

"Pikachu says that Dawn has told Misty and they're waiting for us at the hotel." Ash said as he rubbed the back of his head, Pikachu imitating its trainer.

"Well, they were going to find out about us sooner or later, especially when Dawn knew it." May comforted Ash. "Let's go and meet them."

"You're not ashamed or something?" Ash asked with an uncertain voice.

"For what? That I'm dating one of the top four in the tournament?" May winked at Ash. "Are you ashamed?"

"That I'm together with the most beautiful and skilled coordinator? No way!"

May giggled and hugged Ash, Ash wrapped his arm around May once again as they entered the hotel.

When they entered the hotel they were greeted by an evil smiling Misty and Dawn. Ash raised his right eyebrow when he saw them, they clearly had something planned for them. May blushed, she didn't like the smile they had.

"Are you two together now?" Misty asked after a time.

"Yeah." May said as she tightened her grip around Ash.

"That's so great!" Dawn squealed like a little school girl. "Can I be one of the bridesmaids? Can I?!"

"What?! Wait a minute!" May started blushing and confused and waved her hands frantically. "Ash! Help me!"

She looked around, just to find Ash slowly and silently walk away from the scene with Pikachu on his shoulder.

"Don't you dare leave me here Ash Ketchum!" May shouted at him.

He words caused Ash to stop dead-track and turn around.

"I've never been any good at unpleasant meetings May." Ash simply and calmly stated. "Pika!"

"I don't care! Get your ass here and help!"

Ash sighed as he walked back to May's side. Dawn had nonstop talked about everything from their first kiss to what the names of their future children should be.

"Dawn!" May shouted as she blushed into a much deeper red, Dawn was beginning to come into explanations where there wasn't any clothes involved.

Dawn stopped and looked at May.

"I got to talk to.... um, Misty!" May said hastily as she took Misty's arm and pulled her away from Dawn. "You can keep explaining your ideas to Ash! Isn't that right sweetie?" May asked with in a sweet voice at the young trainer.

"Hey! Wait a little!" Ash said as he tried to walk up to May, only to be blocked by Dawn.

"I was thinking that you could have a suit with red and a mix of orange to show off your stubborn but glad side and Pikachu could be dressed in an absolutely cute pair of leather trousers! And you could also..." Dawn continued.

"_Why? Why did I escape from Team Aquas boat?!_" Ash thought in agony as he looked at the equally depressed and shivering rodent.

* * *

May was leading Misty to the other side of the room, far away from the chattering blue haired girl.

"What's is it May?" Misty asked with a little sad smile.

"That smile Misty. I've known you for years, I can tell when something isn't right!" May said worried.

"It's none of your business!" Misty snapped at May. May was taken back by her voice.

Misty immediately noticed that and sighed. "I'm sorry May, it's just... When I saw you and Ash I couldn't help but notice how lucky you was to get the boy you loved."

May got what she meant.

"Don't worry Misty, it'll happen you to!" May tried to cheer Misty up. "Who is it?" She asked with a smile.

"N... nobody!" Misty stuttered. "I was just thinking that..."

"Don't lie Misty!" May scolded the gym leader. "I told you years ago that I had a crush on Ash, now you can tell me who yours is!"

Misty sighed and mumbled something.

"What?" May asked, she didn't hear what her friend said. "Can you repeat that?"

"It's Gary..." Misty said in a low tone.

May was taken back by her words.

"What!?"

"I said I'm in love with Gary!" Misty shouted at the brunette.

Misty heard the room get all silent, it was some people that was looking at her and she saw Dawn run towards her with the same smile as she had when they met May and Ash this morning, Ash was staring at her and smiling. Misty gulped, she started to regret that she had said anything.

"Did you really mean it Misty?" May asked as Dawn was at her side and Ash some meters away.

"Yes..." Misty mumbled.

"I'm so happy for you!" Both May and Dawn cheered and hugged their friend.

"Well." Ash said in a low voice to Pikachu on his shoulder. "At least one of them are used to wear dresses at their wedding."

Pikachu couldn't help but laughing out loud and Ash started to chuckle at his joke.

"What's so funny?!"

Ash jumped slightly at the three girls' outburst. They were all glaring at him with deadly gazes.

"Umm, I just..." Ash started.

"You just thought it would be a good time to make a fool out of Misty?!" Dawn yelled at him. "You insensitive jerk!"

"What? Wait a minute, let me explain..."

"You better not say a word right now Ash!" May said in a normal but threatening tone, Misty was kept silent and blushed.

"But I..."

"Last warning!"

"Come on May, this is ridiculous..."

Ash didn't had time to finish his sentence until he saw his girlfriend coming towards him with angry steps. Ash began to back away as she came closer, then he turned and ran. He was delighted when he saw that the rest of the group were coming down the stairs, including Sarah. Ash ran behind Brock and Lucy and made them block May's path.

"Calm down May!" Brock said as he tried to hold May from getting to Ash. "What's up?"

"Yeah, please May, tell them!" Ash replied. "Because I have no idea!"

"This got to be the only time I've seen Ash so insecure..." Sarah whispered to Lucy, Lucy nodded and continued to follow the little play with interest.

May stopped, she didn't know how to respond at that question without telling them who Misty likes. She thought of some ways to avoid the question, but it ended up with that she just shrugged her shoulders.

"I can't remember." She simply stated.

Ash and Pikachu took a deep breath of relief and Brock seemed to bought it. He let May pass him and walk up to Ash. Ash looked at her with a smile, but she still kept her frown. She nudge Ash secretly but hard in his ribs so he winced in pain for a short moment. When Ash rubbed his side and glared at the brunette he saw her giggle. That made all his pain and anger go away as he took her into an embrace, don't caring if the others saw it.

"Ash and May, sitting in a tree K.I.S.S.I.N.G..." Max and Sarah began to sing, even if Max was fourteen years old he still loved to tease his sister.

May looked like she was about to cause Max a great deal of pain, but when she made her way towards him she felt something around her wrist. She followed the hand that held her wrist and came to a handsome, calming and smiling face.

"What's wrong with what he sings?" Ash asked with a smile and used such a low tone that only May could hear it. May giggled and let Ash take her into a deep kiss.

"First comes marriage and then comes..." Max and Sarah stopped their singing at the sight of the two people kissing. Dawn and Misty made some kind of 'aww' sound and Brock watched with his mouth fully agape, Lucy seemed a bit confused and Gary and Tracey just shook their heads smiling.

After a couple of minutes they broke the kiss, there was still absolutely silent in the room.

"Feeling better?" Asked a smiling Ash. May nodded with a dreamy look on her face.

"That's not fair!!"

The whole group jumped by the breeders outburst.

"I've tried to do that my whole life! But then my apprentice comes and does it in just a couple of days!"

Brock began to sob loudly, the group didn't know if it was of sorrow or pride so they let him be.

"Ash!" Max began. "Why did you kiss my sister?"

"Because I'm feeling very strong for your sister." Ash smiled at the little boy.

"But she's gross! And you're too cool for my sister!" Max stated with disgust.

"Zip it geek!" Sarah yelled and hit him before May got to him. "May's awesome! She's much cooler than Ash!"

May gave Ash a puzzled look. "Do you understand any of this?"

Ash's only respond was. "She wants to be a coordinator and he's a trainer."

May got what he meant and shook her head in amusement. She looked over to see Dawn follow the two children fight with a great interest. Lucy was slowly rubbing her hand comforting along Brock's back while blushing slightly. Gary and Tracey was looking at Ash and May and then at Misty. May turned to look at Ash and saw him smile at her, she blushed slightly and smiled at the trainer as well.

"Ash! You're on the TV!" Max yelled.

That got the whole group's attention as they looked at the television and saw Ash's picture at the side of Lance's. There was one man standing in front of them and talked.

"**Well, it seems like a trainer named Ash Ketchum is going to face Lance the dragon master of the elite four. Trainer Ketchum's odds are ridiculously low and we're excepting a quick match before this is all over, we have a list over his opponents and none of them seems to be a bit difficult to manage. At the same time, our all favorite is going to face...**"

There was a silence in the room. The group looked at Ash with sad eyes and saw that he was... smiling.

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall." Ash said with a smile as he made his way out from the door, he had picked up the rest of his pokeballs at the center on the way to the hotel.

"How can you act so calm Ash!?" Max yelled as the group tried to catch up to him.

May only had a smile as she ran towards the boy she loved.

* * *

_At Veilstone City_

A purple haired trainer had just turned of the TV, he was in deep thoughts. Did Ash had a chance to win it or was he going to lose?

"So what do you think Paul?" His older brother Reggie asked. "Is he going to win the match or lose it?"

Paul thought for a moment, the he spoke up.

"He's going to win..."

Reggie smiled at his brother's words.

"Why's that?" He asked with another smile.

"Because... because he deserves it."

With those words Paul arose from his seat and walked out to the garden.

* * *

_Outside The Arena On Boon Island_

May was amazed by the amount of people it were outside the arena, it was packed! she could see several fans with Lance-posters, most of them looked like to be in their middle age. May felt a little anger and jealousy in her as she saw young girls with Ash's face in their sweaters. It was a good thing that Ash wasn't with them, otherwise May would've scolded him for no reason.

"I can't believe how we're going to fin any seats!" Sarah yelled in frustration as they got closer to the entrance.

"Don't worry, Ash gave us an own booth to sit in during his battle, they says that it's going to be the best spot." Brock reassured the little girl.

"Really?" Sarah asked with amazement.

"Really." Brock smiled.

Sarah started to jump up and down with excitement and clap her hands.

"You have such good hand with children Brock!" Lucy complimented him carefully.

"My lady! If you only knew what good hands I got!" Brock said in a dramatic voice as he got down on one leg and grabbed Lucy's hands. Max got annoyed by that and took Brock away from her and dragged him towards the entrance, people let them pass as they saw the weird sight happen in front of them.

* * *

Ash took a deep breath along with Pikachu, if he managed to win this battle it would just be one left before this was all over.

"Pika?" His faithful rodent asked.

"Yeah Pikachu, I just wants to end it. The sooner it is over the better."

"pikachu pi?"

"I thought you already knew by now that I don't like too much attention, and guess what I'm going to get if I win this match."

"Pi Pika pi chuu?"

Ash looked at the rodent and smiled. "I've never been someone who gives up easily."

Ash heard his name being called in the speaker and got up from his seat.

"Are you ready Pi?"

"Pika!"

Ash nodded smiling as he walked out with Pikachu on his shoulder.

* * *

"When does it start?" Came a voice from a black haired little girl.

"As I said before! It'll start any second!" Max almost yelled at her, he still hadn't forgiven her for saying that his sister was cooler than his hero.

"This is boring!" Sarah pouted with her arms crossed.

"Calm down Sarah, I'm sure it's about to start soon." May said with a smile.

"Okay May!" Sarah cheerfully said and immediately stopped complaining.

"Hey!" Max said annoyed. "How does it comes that you listen to May but not to me?"

"Don't worry Max, I'm sure Sarah didn't mean to do that." Brock reassured the boy. "Isn't that right Sarah?"

Sarah nodded happily, but when only Max looked at her you could see that she mouthed 'geek' towards him. Max looked like he was going to respond, but his voice was drowned by the sound of the speakers.

"**Let's hear it for Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, Kanto!!**"

The crowd cheered when Ash walked out, you could hear the girls cheer louder than the guys, even if some just cheered halfhearted for him.

"How can he act so calm?" Dawn asked as she spotted Ash walk towards his side of the field with Pikachu on his shoulder. He walked slowly and showed no emotions on his face. But when he came to his side of the battlefield his face cracked up into a smile as he raised his hand and waved slowly to the crowd.

"**And now... the moment we all have been waiting for.... It's time to welcome.... Lance Wataru The Dragon Master!!!**"

The crowd went wild when Lance came flying down on his Dragonite and landed on his side of the field.

"Alright! Go Lance!"

The group looked strangely on the little cheering girl.

"What?" Sarah gave them a puzzled look. "He's a celebrity."

"We're here for Ash!" Misty scowled the girl. "You're cheering on his opponent!"

"Oh right! I forgot!" Sarah said as she blushed of embarrassment and looked down to the ground.

"Can you guys be quiet? The referee is going to say something." May hushed the two girls.

* * *

"Show off..." Ash mumbled to Pikachu after they had seen Lance's performance, Pikachu agreed sparkling.

They watched the referee walk out to the middle of the battlefield, he had a microphone in his hand.

"Before we start this battle... Is it something that you want to say to your opponent?" The referee asked the two contestants.

Ash looked at Lance and saw him walk towards the referee, Ash did the same thing. When they had walked to the middle of the battlefield and was facing each other Lance decided to speak.

"It's good to see that you've managed it so far." He said with the microphone in his hand. "But this is where it stops."

Ash smiled calmly at the elite's word.

"I'm not going to hold in when I battle you just because you saved my life for a couple of years ago."

Lance smiled at the trainer's word.

"I'm not going to go easy on you either, even if you defeated Team Magma, Aqua, Rocket and Galactic..."

Ash tried in vain to stop Lance from saying those words, but it was too late.

* * *

"He did what?!?" The group, except Sarah shouted. Many from the spectator seats also shouted the same thing. The teens turned and looked at Sarah that began to feel a rather uncomfortable.

"Did you know about this?"

"K... kinda..." Sarah stuttered.

* * *

"Did I do something wrong?" Lance asked puzzled as he saw the face Ash made.

"Did you have to tell them that?" Ash responded him with a hard face.

Lance smiled as he saw his reaction.

The crowd were completely silent, then you suddenly could hear a person clap from it, then another, then another one. Soon the whole stadium were cheering for Ash and his achievement. Ash looked around with a confused face, then he looked on Pikachu and saw the little rodent smile, the smile affected Ash as he felt himself smile also. He raised his arms at the crowd and the cheer grew louder.

"Let's get this battle to start!" The referee shouted.

The two opponents nodded and hurried back to their field.

"This is a six on six battle between Lance Wataru and Ash Ketchum! There will be no time limit and substitutions is allowed! The battle is over when all pokemon on one side are unable to battle!" The referee raised his flags. "Has the trainers understand the rules?"

He got a 'yes' from each side.

"Very well! Let the battle begin! Green corner, send out you first pokemon!"

"Altaria, you're up!" Lance shouted as he throw his pokeball into the air.

The blue, cloudy and phoenix-like pokemon emerged from it's ball with a high shriek.

"Dragon-types..." Ash mumbled for himself. "I hate to battle dragon-types..."

He then took a ball from his waist and threw it into the air.

"Snorlax! Battle stance!" Ash shouted and summoned his fat and big but powerful pokemon.

"Let the battle begin!" The referee shouted and lowered his flags.

"Altaria, use Dragon Breath!" Lance ordered his pokemon.

"Protect and then close in on that bird Snorlax!"

Altaria opened its beak and let away a green spray of energy towards the fat pokemon, Snorlax focused and made an invisible barrier between himself and the attack. The big pokemon then began to charge towards Altaria with a great speed, startling his opponents.

"Use Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted as Snorlax was close enough.

"Avoid it and the use Aerial Ace!" Lance yelled to his pokemon.

Snorlax's hands began to glow yellow as he grunted and unleashed a powerful lightning-bolt towards the bird. Altaria spread out its wings and tried to avoid the attack, it would've succeeded if it weren't for that Snorlax's Thunderbolt struck its wing. Altaria cried out in pain but didn't stop following its master's orders. It dived towards Snorlax with an incredible speed and moved so fast that its beak began to glow white due to the movement.

"Use Protect again Snorlax!"

Snorlax concentrated and tried to make another barrier between himself and his opponent, he got a surprised look when he saw that it didn't work. The Aerial Ace hit Snorlax straight in the head, causing him to grunt in pain as he backed away.

"Use Body Slam Snorlax!" Ash shouted to his pokemon. "And make it count!"

"You use Take Down!" Lance ordered his pokemon.

"I don't get it." Sarah said as she watched the two pokemon charged towards each other. "Why doesn't Lance just use a range attack?"

"This is now they're testing each others strength." Brock calmly explained as he watched the battle with great interest. "They wants to see who's pokemon that is the strongest."

The two pokemon collided with a grunt, you could see Altaria been pushed away.

"That's enough Altaria! Use Sky Attack!"

"Wait for it Snorlax."

Altaria got surrounded in flames as it was speeding down towards Snorlax, it was just meters away before the impact.

"Now! Dodge it and use Ice Punch!"

It was like slow motion. Snorlax slowly rolled over and laid on its back that caused Altaria to barely miss him. Snorlax then raised from the the ground with an incredible speed with its right fist glowing white. The fat pokemon struck the bird with such a brute force that it sent it crashing to the ground.

"Altaria!" Lance shouted as he saw his pokemon. "Get up now!"

Altaria struggled to get up, but each time it rose to the air it fell down to the ground.

"Snorlax, quick use Hyper Beam now!"

Snorlax opened its mouth and began to glow bright orange, the it fired a huge mass of energy that struck the bird laying on the ground.

"Altaria is unable to battle! Snorlax wins!" The referee called and lowered one of his flags.

"You did great Altaria, return." Lance said with a sad smile as he recalled his pokemon.

* * *

"What happened?" Dawn asked in confusion. "Why didn't Altaria get up?"

"He was frozen by the Ice Punch." Gary slowly explained. "It couldn't move due to the ice on the wing."

"Alright! Go Ash!" May and Max cheered on the trainer.

* * *

Lance gritted his teeth. That Snorlax knew both ice and electric moves.

"Gyarados, you're up next!"

The big snake pokemon emerged from the ball and let out a roar that meant that it wanted to battle.

"It's nice to see you again Gyarados..." Ash smiled.

* * *

"Whoa! I thought Gyarados was blue!" Sarah said in astonishment. "Why's that red?!"

"Normally it's blue, but Lance has a Gyarados that's red." Brock slowly explained, he remembered how powerful the pokemon had been the last time he saw it.

* * *

"Begin the battle!"

"Thunderbolt Snorlax!" Ash called out.

"You use Thunderbolt to!" Lance ordered his pokemon.

The two pokemon shoot out two bolts that collided with each other. However, the bolt that Gyarados sent away continued towards Snorlax and struck him with great damage. Snorlax grunted in pain as the bolt struck him.

"_Shit!_" Ash thought. "Use Rollout!"

Snorlax began to roll towards Gyarados with a speed that began slow but then raised so much that it was hard to follow it.

"Hit it back with Aqua Tail!"

"Keep going!"

Snorlax jumped up into the air that Gyarados was placed and prepared for impact. Water began to surround Gyarados's tail as he smashed it into the rolling Snorlax. The fat pokemon grunted in pain once again as he was smashed back, interrupting his Rollout.

"Use Earthquake!" Lance ordered.

Gyarados smashed it tail into the ground with such brute force that the arena began to shake. Snorlax roared in pain as he could only take the attack head on. Snorlax began to pant heavily and Ash noticed it.

"Snorlax! Use Rest!" Ash said as he at the same time thought. "_It's the only way..._"

Snorlax closed his eyes and began to snore loud and regained his energy.

"Use Aqua Tail on him Gyarados!" Lance ordered.

Gyarados's tail began once again be surrounded with water as he began to move it towards Snorlax with a great speed.

"Sleep Talk!" Ash roared to his pokemon, hoping that it will hear him.

Gyarados began to get closer and closer to Snorlax, but it didn't notice that inside Snorlax's mouth it began to form a flame like ball.

At the same time as Gyarados's tail stuck Snorlax Snorlax released a Flamethrower that hit Gyarados straight in the face, causing Gyarados to grunt in pain and redraw from the fat pokemon.

"We can't take any chances Gyarados!" Lance called. "Use Hyper Beam and finish this off!"

Gyarados began to charge up a orange ball into its mouth, it then release the energy wave with a great speed at Snorlax, it struck him with the sheer amount of power.

Ash lowered his head as he saw his fainted pokemon.

"Snorlax is unable to battle!" The referee shouted and lowered his other flag.

"Snorlax, return!" Ash said with a clear voice, the then looked at the ball with a sad smile. "You was great.", "Pikachu." The little rodent on his shoulder agreed.

"Swellow! I need you assistance!"

The blue swallow was called to fight. It let out a cry that meant that it was ready.

"Begin the match!"

"Thunderbolt Gyarados!" Lance called.

"Swellow! Show them who the real flying ace is... dodge the attack!"

Gyarados sent out a great bolt of lightning towards the bird that dodged it skillfully.

"Keep up with the Thunderbolts Gyarados! Don't let him come close!"

"Keep dodge the bolts and move closer!" Ash called out to his pokemon.

Gyarados sent bolt after bolt at the swallow, but he managed to dodge them all. Even if some were barely. The audience gasped as he made a loop to get away from an attack.

When Ash thought he was close enough he saw his chance.

"Use Quick Attack and Steel Wing at the same time!" Ash yelled.

"Take him down Gyarados!"

Gyarados shoot out a bolt of electricity towards the bird, it looked like it was going to hit.

"Swellow quick! Use your Steel Wing at the ground and continue to fly!"

Swellow, that was a rather close to the ground, lowered his white glowing wing and stuck it into the ground as he kept on flying. The Thunderbolt struck him and the crowd gasped.

"What?!" Lance yelled in frustration as he saw the swallow come out unharmed. "How can this be?"

Ash just smiled and shouted. "Use Quick Attack now!"

Swellow got up from the ground and shoot away with an incredible speed and smashed Gyarados under its head, causing the red pokemon to roar in pain and get sent towards the ground. Gyarados smashed into the ground but was up rather quick, panting but glaring at its opponent.

"Gyarados, return!" Lance said as he recalled his pokemon. "I'll need you later."

"Salamence! Fight for me!"

The blue dragon-pokemon came out and started to glare at its opponent.

"Return Swellow." Ash said as he recalled his pokemon too. "I also needs you later."

"Tauros! Battle Stance!" Ash said as he summoned his great bull-pokemon.

"Begin the match!"

"Zen Headbutt Salamence!" Lance called out.

"You use Take Down!"

The two pokemon began to charge towards each other, their attack collided with a big thud. They were equal.

"Break the attack and use Ice Beam!" Ash ordered.

"Dodge it!"

Tauros pushed Salamence away and shoot out a stream of ice towards Salamence, the dragon dodged it skilfully.

"Rock Slide!" Ash called out after a couple of seconds.

"Fire your Hyper Beam!"

Tauros smashed his foots into the ground forcing giant boulders to come up and fly towards the dragon. Salamence fired a orange Hyper Beam towards the boulders and broke through them, it continued and smashed Tauros to the ground.

"Tauros!" Ash called out as he saw his pokemon on the ground. "Can you get up?"

Tauros grunted and got up, it let out a sound to show that it wanted to continue fight.

"Great! Use Ice Beam on him while he's immobilized!"

Tauros opened its mouth once again and shot out a beam of ice towards the immobilized Salamence. The attack hit head on, causing the dragon to twitch by the sheer power and cold from the attack.

"Salamence! Are you okay?" Lance asked his pokemon.

Salamence nodded and smirked at Tauros.

"Excellent! Use Flamethrower!"

"Sandstorm!" Ash called out to his pokemon.

As the flame was flying towards Tauros, the bull raised his two front hooves and struck them to the ground with a roar. Sand began to surround him and the arena as the people tried to see what was going on.

"That's a good tactic Ash!" Lance called out when he saw the flame got destroyed by the sand. "But now nobody can see what's going on!"

"Are you sure?" He heard Ash's voice from the other side. "Full Thunderbolt on the field Tauros!"

The only things Lance saw was a mix of sand and several yellow flashes as the field was lit up, he could also hear roars of pain from his own pokemon. When the sand had calmed down you could see the bull standing there with a smirk on its face and Salamence lying down to the ground.

"Salamence is unable to battle!" The referee shouted.

"Return Salamence." Lance said as he recalled his pokemon. "I'm very proud of you!"

He then took forth another ball and threw it into the air.

"Dragonair! I need your assistance!"

The blue serpent rose to the air as it was called.

"Begin the battle!"

"Use Agility Dragonair!"

"Try to hit it with Thunderbolt to slow it down!" Ash called out.

Dragonair began to move with an incredible speed, making it impossible for Tauros to hit it from the ground.

"Use Ice Beam while you're using your Agility Dragonair!" Lance ordered his pokemon.

"You got to shoot him down Tauros!"

Lance's pokemon began to shoot out several beams of ice towards Tauros, but due to the Agility it made it really hard to aim well, but not impossible. Tauros roared as he got his by an Ice Beam at his right leg.

"Use Counter Shield with Thunderbolt Tauros!" Ash ordered his pokemon desperately.

Tauros's horns began to glow white as he shoot out several yellow lightnings around the field, making some sort of shield.

"Avoid it Dragonair!"

But it was to late... Dragonair's Agility made it to hard for him to avoid crashing into the 'shield'. Even if Dragonair was resistant to electricity it cried out in pain as several volts went through its body.

"Dragonair!" Lance shouted as the paralyzed dragon was sent crashing to the ground.

"Tauros!" Ash called as he saw his pokemon sit himself into a sitting position due to tiredness.

The two trainers looked at each other and then the pokemon, they could see how the pokemon struggled to remain conscious. The two trainers knew that there was only one thing to do.

"Hyper Beam!" They roared at the same time.

Both of the pokemon mustered their full strength and let out each an orange beam of energy towards the opponent. The crowd got ready for the attacks to collide with each other. They gasped as they saw the two beams pass each other and hit both of the pokemon with a great explosion.

"Tauros/Dragonair!"

When the smoke died they could see Tauros laying on the ground but Dragonair still standing.

"Tauros is unable to battle!" The referee shouted.

"Return Tauros." Ash said with a smile. "I'm really proud of you, I can't thank you enough."

Ash and Pikachu looked at Lance and his pokemon, only to see Dragonair collapse on the ground too.

"Dragonair is unable to battle!" The referee shouted again and lowered his other flag. "The green corner has lost half of his team, there will be a ten minutes break!"

Ash turned and left to his room and Lance did the same.

"**Well people look at that! It seems like Ketchum's in the lead! But remember, everything can change!**" The announcer... announced.

* * *

"Awesome!" Max cheered as he saw Lance recall Dragonair. "Ash's going to win!"

"Remember Max, it isn't over yet." Gary reminded the glass wearing trainer. "But I can agree with you that it's awesome."

"When did Ash get so good?" Dawn asked with her voice filled of amazement. "How can so many of his pokemon use Ice Beam?"

"Ash told me that he had specialized some of his pokemon to take down special types of other pokemon!" Sarah stated proudly. "You think he used his anti-dragon team now?"

"Wouldn't surprise me if he did." Brock said slowly as he tried not to go crazy and explain his eternal love for Lucy.

"Ash is sure great." Lucy said with her calm voice.

That made Brock snap at the sound of his beloved's voice, he got down on one knee again and took her hands.

"I was the one that trained him! Let's train our love to grow as strong as an Onix!"

"You didn't do anything!" Max said angrily as he pulled Brock away from her. "Why can't you just give up?!"

"Can you guys be quiet?" May asked annoyed as she gave her brother a bump on the head. "It's about to start!"

The group watched Ash and Lance walk out to the field under the sound of the cheering crowd.

* * *

"Are the two trainers ready to battle again?" The referee asked and raised his flags. The trainers and the rodent nodded. "Very well, let's the battle begin!"

Lance and Ash took each a pokeball and through it into the air.

"Noctowl/Gyarados!"

The two pokemon landed on the field and started to glare at each other.

The crowd gasped at the sight, there wasn't often when you could see two shiny pokemon battle each other at professional level.

"Noctowl! Use Psychic!" Ash called out.

Noctowl's eyes began to glow as some sort of aura surrounded Gyarados.

"Break free and use Flamethrower!" Lance smiled.

Gyarados broke free from the attack and let out a jet of flame that hit Noctowl dead-on.

"Noctowl!" Ash called as he saw his pokemon shriek in pain.

"Did you really think that my pokemon should be taken down by a weak attack like that?" Lance smirked sadly at Ash.

Ash didn't say something and just gave Lance a dark look.

"Use Aerial Ace!" Ash called out to his pokemon.

Noctowl began to chirp as he raised his speed and charged towards Gyarados.

"Stop him with Flamethrower!" Lance ordered.

"Dodge it and continue to attack!" Ash shouted.

Gyarados let out another jet of flame that was sent to the pokemon, but Noctowl evaded the attack and continued fly towards Gyarados. A few seconds later Noctowl struck Gyarados with its beak, making it cry out in pain.

"Don't let it do that to you Gyarados!" Lance shouted. "Use Thunderbolt!"

Gyarados quickly turned around and unleashed a yellow bolt of lightning that came towards Noctowl and struck it. Noctowl shrieked in pain as the electricity coursed through its body.

"Quickly Noctowl! Use Hypnosis!" Ash ordered his pokemon.

"Hyper Beam!"

Noctowl's eyes began to glow red as it sent away red rings towards the charging Gyarados. The rings hit Gyarados's eyes and they began to close.

"Fire!!" Lance roared.

Gyarados let out his yellow beam of energy towards the owl, the second later it fell asleep. The Hyper Beam stuck Noctowl and sent him to the ground.

"Noctowl!" Ash called out to his pokemon. "Please stand up!"

Noctowl struggled to get up, but he had taken so many attacks that it was nearly impossible. He fainted on the spot.

"Noctowl is unable to battle!" The referee shouted. "Send out you next pokemon!"

"Swellow! Finish this quickly!" Ash roared as he threw his pokeball into the air after that he had recalled Noctowl.

The swallow seemed glad to be battling his old opponent.

"Gyarados! Use Flamethrower!" Lance ordered.

The only response he got was snoring sounds.

"Gyarados!"

"Attack him while he's sleeping Swellow!" Ash ordered. "Use Steel Wing!"

Swellow quickly flew and struck the sleeping pokemon with a wing of steel, causing it to grunt in its sleep.

"This isn't a battle." Ash said irritated. "Finish this with Hyper Beam!"

Swellow opened its beak and shot out a orange beam of energy towards the red pokemon, when it made impact Gyarados's eyes changed from sleeping to fainted.

"Gyarados is unable to battle!" The referee called. "Green corner! Send out you next pokemon!"

"Thanks Gyarados." Lance said with a smile. "You did your best."

He then put the ball away and took out another one.

"Aerodactyl! Show them what you can do!"

The crowd gasped at the sight of the fossil pokemon. Ash shivered as he thought about his meetings with the fossil pokemon.

"Steel Wing Swellow!" Ash ordered his pokemon to charge.

"Wait for it Aerodactyl! Let it come to you!" Lance said with a smirk.

Swellow's wing began to glow bright white as he closed in on the fossil-pokemon that wasn't in the air.

"Use Rock Slide!" Lance roared.

"_Shit!_" Ash thought. "Swellow! Break the attack and get away from there!"

Swellow made an U-turn as Aerodactyl smashed its head into the ground, causing several boulders fly into the air and come after Swellow. Swellow began to make zigzag-movements to avoid the boulders, but one of them struck him on to the back.

"Swellow!" The pokemon groaned as it fell to the ground with the boulder over it.

"Are you okay?!" Ash yelled to his pokemon. "Pikachu?!" The little rodent asked.

"Swellow is unable to battle!" The referee said and lowered his flag. "Red corner, send out your next pokemon!"

Ash took Swellow's pokeball and recalled the fainted swallow.

"Thanks for the help." Ash thanked it with a smile. "Have a nice rest now."

He then took out another pokeball and threw it into the air.

"Kingler! Battle Stance!" Ash roared.

The big crab-pokemon growled with a sound that sounded like 'cookie' as he glared at the ancient opponent.

"Take him down with BubbleBeam!" Ash called out.

"Avoid it!"

Kingler fired several bubbles towards the fossil-pokemon, but Aerodactyl avoided them with little difficulty.

"Use Dragon Pulse!" Lance ordered his pokemon.

"Try to dodge it!" Ash shouted to his big crab.

A green ball was coming towards Kingler as he tried to get out of the way, the ball hit beside him and made him grunt in pain by the force of the explosion.

"Use BubbleBeam again!" Ash yelled.

"Continue with Dragon Pulse!"

The battle raged like that for a moment, Kingler moved on the ground and unleashed several bubbles towards Aerodactyl and Aerodactyl fired several greenish balls towards the crab. Both of the opponents' attacks hit their mark, but neither of them so badly that it took out the other. After 10 minutes Ash decided to change tactic, he could see how Aerodactyl slowly was winning.

"Kingler! Use Dig now!"

Kingler stopped fire bubbles and started to dig with an incredible speed into the ground. After a few seconds he was gone.

"Stay in the air and wait him out Aerodactyl!" Lance ordered his pokemon.

"Crabhammer!" Ash shouted.

Kingler emerged from the ground and jumped towards Aerodactyl with it's left claw glowing white.

"Dodge the attack and use Thunder Fang on it!" Lance roared to Aerodactyl.

Aerodactyl barely dodged the crab's hammer and charged its own teeth with electricity, it then bit the surprised Kingler as the crab shouted in pain.

"Kingler!" Ash cried out as the crab was sent to the ground.

"Finish it with Dragon Pulse!" Lance ordered his pokemon.

"Use dig quick!" Ash shouted. "Use it as we did to the Galactic grunts!"

Lance gave Ash a puzzled look as he saw Kingler dodge the attack and jump into the ground, the the crab jump out from a newly made hole and made another one. After a minute the whole field was filled with holes.

Lance saw Ash smirk.

"Kingler." Ash began. "Enter the hole."

Kingler jumped down inside one of the holes.

"What are you doing?!" Lance shouted at Ash, even if he didn't expect any answer from the raven haired trainer. "Aerodactyl! Use Rock Slide to destroy the holes!"

Aerodactyl charged down towards the holes and prepared to attack.

"Use BubbleBeam full power Kingler!" Ash roared.

For a moment it was silent, the you saw hundreds of bubbles shoot up from each hole on the field. Aerodactyl didn't stand a chance, bubbles were exploding at him as he roared in pain and crashed to the ground.

"Aerodactyl!" Lance shouted.

"Aerodactyl is unable to battle!" The referee shouted. "Send out your next pokemon!"

"Dragonite, I know you won't let me down!" Lance said as he threw the ball into the air and summoned the giant dragon.

By that time Kingler had got up from the hole. It looked tired and worn out from its fight with Aerodactyl, and when it saw Dragonite, it collapsed on the spot.

"Kingler is unable to battle!" The referee shouted and lowered on of his flags. "The trainers are down to their last pokemon!"

Ash looked at the ball in his hand, it was the ball that he had taken out after he had recalled Kingler.

"I was hoping that I wouldn't need you in this battle." Ash said to the ball. "But here goes nothing!"

"Garchomp! I need you assistance!"

Garchomp emerged from the ball and started to glare at Dragonite.

* * *

"When did Ash get a Garchomp?" The group except May shouted to no special.

May just smiled, the group noticed that and gave her a questioning look.

"Garchomp is a pokemon that Ash can call for anytime!" May explained. "Like his Squirtle."

May didn't want to give them the fully explanation about Garchomp, the group seemed to accept her explanation and turned their attention to the already raging battle.

* * *

"Garchomp! Use Dragon Claw!" Ash ordered the big pokemon.

"You use Dragon Claw to Dragonite!" Lance told his pokemon.

The two dragons started to charge each other with their claws glowing bright white, their claws clashed as they tried to measure their powers with each other. You could see that Dragonite was the stronger one, but Garchomp refused to give in and decided to use its fully strength to push back.

"Dragon Rush!" The two trainers shouted at the same time.

Their pokemon broke their fight and backed away from each other, then they charged with an incredible speed, making them be surrounded in a blue light, and clashed once again.

There was a big explosion when the two dragons collided. The second after the two dragons were lying on their side of the battlefield, slowly getting up to fight more.

"Keep it up Garchomp!" Ash said comforting. "Show what real power is!"

Garchomp let out a roar that startled many in the audience and got Dragonair to glare at him.

"Ice Beam Dragonair!" Lance ordered.

"Use Flamethrower!"

Dragonair opened its mouth and let out a too familiar beam of ice towards Garchomp. Garchomp responded the orange dragon by sending a great jet of flame to collide with the Ice Beam. The fire melted the ice and continued towards Dragonite that barely dodged it.

Ash looked at his and his opponent's pokemon, they had taken out their powers in the beginning of the battle and were panting heavily. It was just a matter of attacks before this match was over.

"Let's wrap this up with Ice Beam again Dragonair!" Lance called out.

"Dodge it and begin flying towards Dragonite!" Ash told his pokemon.

Garchomp dodged the Ice Beam with a sidestep and began to charge towards Dragonite from the air.

"Use Crunch!" Ash yelled.

Garchomp opened its big mouth and aimed for Dragonite's arm.

"Dodge it and use Dragon Claw!" Lance ordered.

Dragonite managed to turn around and slash Garchomp with his white glowing claws, the attack hit Garchomp on its wings and sent it to the ground.

"Garchomp!" Ash yelled as he saw his pokemon trying to get up.

"Finish this with Earthquake Dragonite!" Lance called out as he saw that Garchomp was unable to fly.

Garchomp could only see the smirk on Dragonair's face as it came crashing down towards the ground with a great speed. Ash stared in horror as Dragonite spread out its feet and prepared to make contact with the ground, the audience were at the edge of their seats. There was a 'thud' sound when Dragonair sank through the ground.

* * *

"What happened?!" Max yelled both confused and refiled.

"It looks like Dragonair fell through one of the tunnels that Kingler had created earlier." Gary said in amazement as he saw Dragonair struggling to get up from the hole.

The announcer told the audience the same thing as Gary had told Max and you could see the smirk on Pikachu and Ash's faces.

* * *

"Garchomp." Ash began. "Can you please try to use Dragon Pulse."

Garchomp nodded and mustered its full strength and opened its mouth. It roared in anger and tiredness as it shot out a greenish ball towards the stuck Dragonite.

Lance's eyes widened as he saw his pokemon getting his on the head by the ball, he saw his pokemon slowly fall down and faint on the ground.

"Dragonair is unable to battle!" The referee shouted and lowered his flags. "Lance Wataru is out of pokemon! Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town wins the match!"

The crowd went wild as they saw Ash rush to his pokemon and slowly rub his hand against Garchomp's nose.

* * *

"He did it!!" The group of teens, Brock and Lucy cheered as they watched Lance recall his fainted pokemon.

* * *

"**What a splendid battle! Ash Ketchum's stunning victory takes the arena with storm!**" The announcer shouted over the cheers. "**He'll be the one to fight in the finals in this tournament versus Cynthia!!**"

Ash ignored the audience and the announcer, he only felt pride for his pokemon as he hugged his tired Garchomp.

"Thank you my friend." Ash said quietly said to his pokemon.

"Pika pika chu." Pikachu piped in as he sat on Garchomp's head and tried to hug the big dragon.

"You've earned a well deserved rest." Ash stated as he got up and recalled his pokemon.

Ash looked up and saw that Lance already had recalled his pokemon and was heading towards him. Ash walked up to Lance.

"Well Ash." Lance began. "Looks like it's you who're going to represent Kanto this year. Make us proud!" He finished with a smile. He then reached his hand towards Ash.

Ash looked at the hand for a couple of seconds, then he smiled and took it.

"Don't worry, I'll do my best!"

Lance nodded and walked away, pulling his hood over his head.

Ash turned to Pikachu.

"You're ready to meet up with the others?"

"Pika!"

"Let's go then!"

And with the cheers of the crowd, Ash walked out of the arena.

* * *

A half hour later Ash stood at the docks with a pokeball in his hand. He had been at the pokemon center to get his pokemon healed and changed before he got here, he was going to meet up with the others at the hotel.

Ash summoned the pokemon inside and looked at the big, dark blue pokemon.

"Garchomp." Ash began. "I can't thank you enough, do you really want to go back to Sinnoh?"

Garchomp nodded his head with a smile.

"You know that you're always welcome to stay with us, right?"

Garchomp became rather annoyed by Ash's nagging and sent a weak Flamethrower towards him, Ash chuckled as he dodged it.

"I'll be seeing you, my friend!" Ash said with a smile as Garchomp flew away towards the Sinnoh region.

"Pikachuu!" Pikachu yelled and waved its paw at the flying dragon. Ash looked at the scene with a smile.

* * *

Ash was making his way towards the hotel, still smiling at the thought of the great dragon. He opened the door to the hotel and was thankful that it was only the challengers and their friends and family that was able to stay here, it was only him and his friends in other words. Ash saw the group of his friends and gave them a smile, but that smile fell as he saw the looks they were giving him.

"You have a lot to explain..." May stated with her arms crossed and glaring at Ash.

"What?"

"Gee, I don't know... How about you destroyed the four biggest criminal organizations there is single handed?!?" May yelled at him.

Ash began to laugh.

"What's so funny!?"

"You're pretty when you're angry, you know that?" Ash said with a smile, Pikachu helped him and also smiled from his shoulder.

The group tried to look serious, but then they one after one began to crack up at the sight of May's blushing face. Soon the whole group laughed, even May.

Ash made his way to the group and wrapped his arms around May's waist.

"I'm going to tell you, just calm down. OK?" Ash calmly said with a smile.

May looked at him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You don't need to do it right now..."

By those words they moved closer to each other and was about to start to kiss each other.

"Yes he does!!" The group shouted, startling Ash and May.

"Fine!" May pouted with her arms crossed.

Ash laughed at May's childishness and began to explain.

"I'm going to make it short. After my mother had been murdered, me and my pokemon decided to seek revenge at the ones that were responsible for that. We managed to sneak into Team Rocket's base and get the information we needed to attack them when they wasn't full force. We did the same thing to Magma and Galactic." Ash's face got a darker look. "We tried a new tactic on Team Aqua, we surrounded them and took out most of them with Stun Spore and Sleeping Powder. But Archie and a few other grunts managed to escape so we decided to hunt them down. Unfortunately, we got into an ambush and I got knocked unconscious."

Ash looked at the groups gasps.

"Are you sure you want me to continue?" Ash asked the group.

"YES!!" They shouted at him, causing him and Pikachu to jump slightly.

"Alright, when I woke up I found myself tied to a chair and my pokeballs on a shelf in the room. And to make it quick, let's just say that my days there weren't as pleasant as you can think. One day they came in and told me that the police were closing in on them so they needed to dump 'unnecessary cargo'. That's when Archie stabbed me in the stomach. That's how I got my scar." Ash finished.

"What?!" The group yelled astonished. "But how did you escape? Isn't a stab wound lethal?"

"I'm coming to that." Ash said with a smile. "Some of my pokemon managed to not get captured and came to save me. The last part is a little hard to explain, so let's just say that I managed to heal the wound and turned the leader of Team Aqua in to the police. After that I went to the snowy mountains in Kanto and decided to stay there and train."

The group were quiet after his story, they had never believed that a single man could do that.

"But..." May broke the silence. "Why didn't you return right after you had defeated them?"

Ash looked down to the ground.

"I was ashamed... ashamed of that I ran away like a coward, ashamed that I just let my mother die and just stood there." Ash felt the how the tears began to take over his eyes. "I didn't know if you would accept me or not and..."

Ash stopped as he felt someone embrace him and snuggle into his chest. He looked down and saw May embrace him with love and comfort, causing Ash to dry his tears and embrace the brunette as response.

"Do I need to explain anymore?" Ash asked the group after some minutes.

The group shook their heads with smiles on their face's.

"Good, because Sarah's parents with be over here any second and..."

"We're already here!" Came a deep but mature voice.

A man about Brock's length and in his thirties was standing in front of them. He had black hair and a brown suit. Besides him stood a woman that looked like she was about the same age and length as the man, she wore a yellow dress and had shoulder-length hair.

"Mom! Dad!" Sarah screamed as she ran towards them. She laughed as she embraced them and they embraced her. The reunion was about five minutes until the parents' attention turned to the group.

"Which one of you is Ash Ketchum?" The mother asked with tears in her eyes.

"That would be me." Ash said in a calm, stern voice.

The parents looked at him for a moment, smiling. Then they said two sentence.

"Thank you. For taking care of our daughter!"

"Why did you leave her?" Ash asked with dislike in his voice. The group seemed taken back by the hardness in his voice.

"It was all a misunderstanding." The dad said in a sad voice. "My wife and I were going on a vacation and we had called my cousin to take care of Sarah, but then she had an accident and got in a coma, she's awake now. By that time we had already went to our trip and thought that my cousin took care of Sarah. But then Samuel Oak calls us and tells us that one of his trainers had found our daughter on the round, fainted! We hurried home and then he told us that you had taken our daughter to let her see when you battled in the tournament." The father finished with a smile.

"I don't know how we can thank you enough!" The mother exclaimed with her smile still on.

"There's one thing you can do. Don't leave your daughter and stay by her side.... always." Ash said with a sad smile.

The parents gave him a puzzled look and looked at the little girl.

"I'll tell you later." Sarah whispered to them.

Ash's mood soon brightened up.

"Does this means that she won't follow every movement I make?" He asked with hope in his voice.

"She wasn't that much trouble, was she?" The mother asked with a smile.

Ash frowned and was about to give them a piece of his mind, that was until his girlfriend elbowed him in his ribs.

"Not at all Mrs. Williams!" May said with a smile.

"Thank you dear, may I ask whats your name is?"

"I'm May. I'm Ash's girlfriend!" May said with a dreamy smile on her face. She then continued to make introductions.

"It's nice to meet you." The father said. "My name's Richard and this is my wife Amelia."

The group smiled and nodded to them.

"Well, the clock is past your bedtime young lady!" Amelia told her daughter. "You should go to bed right now!"

"Have you hired a room?" Ash asked the family.

"Yeah, it's at the other side of the town." The father said with a tired smile.

"I have an idea. Why don't I just write me up on my friends-list and you'll get a room here for free." Ash finished with a smile.

"But you have to be in the tournament to do that." Richard said with a sad smile.

"You're looking at the trainer that's going to face the champion of the tournament tomorrow." Ash replied with a smile.

Richard gave him an astonished look.

"Ash's awesome!" Sarah told her parents. "He's the best trainer ever!"

"He sure is..." May said as she began to close into his face. Ash got the hint and pulled her into a kiss.

"It's time to go to bed now Sarah!" Amelia said as she looked at the in loved teens with a smile.

"Aww, do I have to?" Sarah asked sadly.

"If you do it I'll tell you the story about how I met your mother!" The father winked at his daughter.

"Yaaaaay!" Sarah cheered as she jumped onto her father's back and let him carry her to their room with the laughing mother behind them.

"I'm off to bed." An extremely tired Tracey said as he made his way towards his room. "A certain professor didn't allow me to sleep last night!"

The group laughed at the pokemon watcher's mood. He was soon followed by Max, Dawn, Brock and Lucy.

* * *

The only ones left in the room were Gary, Misty, Ash and May. Ash and May were busy in their make-out session.

"So..." Misty said to Gary as she tried to ignore the couple next to them.

"So..." Gary said uncertain.

"Well... I'm off to bed." Misty depressed told her crush as she began to walk up for the stairs.

"Mh!" Came the sound from Ash as he broke the kiss with May. "Wait Misty! I need to show you and Gary a thing!"

"What is it?" The gym leader and researcher asked him.

"Can't tell, it's something you got to see with your own eyes!" Ash said as he made his way towards a door.

"Then forget it!" They both shouted.

Ash stopped his steps and he and Pikachu turned around with evil faces.

"I'll tell you this, it can be a possibility to involve secrets about crushes and dresses if it's not seen." Ash said with an evil smirk.

Those words caused the two people to blush and run up to Ash and let him lead the way.

"You can wait here May with Pikachu, I'll be back in some minutes!" Ash called to his girlfriend.

"Just make it quick Ash!" May yelled lovingly back to the trainer.

* * *

"Ash what are we doing at the bathroom sections?" Gary asked the raven haired trainer.

"Don't worry, I'll show you." Ash said in a calm voice. "Here it is!"

Ash opened the door to the sauna and made a gesture to them to walk in. They seemed to hesitate at first.

"Why should we go in there Ash?"

"Don't worry." Ash said with a smile. "I promise that you won't regret it."

They seemed calmed by his words and walked into the small little room of wood. They suddenly heard a door shut close and something scrap against the door.

"Ash!" Misty shouted as she started to pound at the door. "You let us out of here right now!"

There was a voice of the other side of the door in response.

"Tell me the password and I'll let you through!" Ash said with pretended childishness in his voice.

"It's to late for games Ash!" Gary shouted as he also started to pound at the door.

"Umm... Gary..." Misty slowly said.

"Yeah?" He asked confused.

"Is it getting warmer in here?"

"ASH!!" Was the words the two late teens shouted at the raven haired trainer.

* * *

Ash took another sigh as he leaned his chair against the wall, it had been like this for five minutes since he blocked the door with a broom and turned on the heat. But the poundings on the door had finally calmed down, Ash had a smirk on his face.

"It's getting to hot!" Misty yelled frustrated. "What kind of sick game is Ash up to?!"

"Um, Misty..." Gary said hesitating. "You know that it won't be as hot if we took of our clothes..."

"_Crap! That didn't come out right!_" Ash chuckled at his side of the door.

"W... What did you say?!?" Misty yelled blushing and mad at him.

"I don't mean it like that!" Gary quickly countered. "I just mean that we're going to sweat to death if we stay in this clothes.

It was true, they both had sweaters with a rather thick material and jeans.

"Wait!" Misty said hastily. "Didn't Ash say something about a password?"

"Yeah, you're right." Gary gulped. "What do you think it is?"

"Let me think..." Misty said and seemed to be in deep thoughts. She then walked up to the door. "'Ash is the best trainer in the world'?" She asked the raven haired trainer.

"Not even close!" There was a voice from the other side of the door. "But thanks for the compliment!"

And it continued like that for 15 minutes, they kept guessing and guessing as it grew hotter and hotter. Suddenly Misty couldn't take it anymore, she took oh her shirt and her pants but left her undergarments on. Gary tried with all his might not to stare at the gym leader, it was good that he could blame the red on his face for the heat.

"Are you just gonna stand there and look down to the ground or are you going to do something?" Misty asked annoyed the researcher, she was blushing to.

Gary nodded and stripped of his pants and shirt, leaving him with boxers and a white T-shirt. Now it was Misty's turn to look down towards the ground.

There was an awkward silence for a couple of minutes as they felt the heat rise, but now they didn't know if it was due to Ash or the lack of clothes. Gary couldn't suddenly not take it anymore.

"Alright Ash! You win!" Gary shouted.

"Password..." Came a voice from the other side.

"I, Gary Oak, wore dresses when I was younger!" He shouted to the door. He could hear chuckles from the other side of the door.

""Wrong answer...:" Ash chuckled.

"You're a son of a Bellsprout!" Gary roared as he punched the door.

He then stopped when he heard Misty giggle. He looked over to the half-naked girl and saw her laugh at him.

"What?!"

"N.. Nothing!" Misty continued giggle. "I can just imagine you in a dress!"

"Yeah, that's right... laugh all you want!" Gary said depressed as he took his hand to his face.

"No! I think that's cute and..." Misty clasped her hand in front of her mouth.

"You think I'm cute?" Gary asked and looked up.

"No!... I mean yes... no.... or, I DON'T KNOW!" Misty yelled frustrated and blushed.

Gary gave her a strange look.

"You know Misty. Since we're probably going to sit here for a while I can come clean to you."

Misty gave the researcher a strange look.

Gary took another sigh.

"The first time I saw you... I thought you was a stuck up hag that didn't knew what she was talking about."

Misty felt her heart sink to her stomach and the tears come to her eyes.

"BUT!" Gary said quickly as he saw the look in Mist's face. "When Ash defeated me in the league I started to feel something, the more time I spent with you the more I started to like you. And now when we've spent several years together I'm starting to like you even more..."

Misty looked down to the ground.

"I like you too Gary."

"No." Gary said. "That wasn't what I meant, I mean that I really REALLY like you!"

Misty looked at him and smiled.

"That's what I meant."

Gary started to blush deep red as Misty scooted close to him, he felt her wrap her arms around him and he did the same. Their lips slowly got closer and closer to each other until they made impact.

The kiss lasted for several minutes before they broke free, both of them with a smile on their faces. Gary was the first one to speak up.

"I... I love you Misty."

"I love you too Gary!"

Suddenly they heard Ash's voice.

"Password correct..."

Then they heard something to be removed from the door and steps that fainted as the time passed. The newly couple looked at each other again and smiled.

"I don't know if I should be thankful or angry at Ash for this." Gary chuckled.

"Do like I do: Try to hit him, even if he did a good thing!" Misty said happily as they embraced each other.

* * *

Ash walked towards the cafeteria where May and Pikachu were supposed to wait for him. When he got there he saw the two half asleep on the couch. Ash smiled and gave May a kiss on the lips and rubbed Pikachu behind its ears. The two opened their eyes and saw a smiling Ash.

"It's time to get to sleep May." Ash smiled at her.

"But my room's so far away!" May whined as she turned around in the couch, causing Pikachu to fall on the floor.

"You know..." Ash said and started to feel his face heat up. "My room is much closer..."

"Ash!" May shouted and started to blush.

"I didn't mean that!" Ash hastily said. "I'm just saying that I got a spare bed now when Sarah's sleeping at her parents!"

May's blush began to disappear a little as she thought about it.

"Okay then, but you better not try something!" She warned him.

Ash chuckled. "Wouldn't even think about such things!"

With those words he picked up May in bridal-style and carried her to his room with the rodent on his shoulder.

May nuzzled her face into his chest as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"By the way..." May started. "What happened to Gary and Misty?"

"Let's just say that they found something that they both had been looking for." Ash said with a smile as he used one of his hands to open the door to his room.

**End of Chapter 16**

* * *

**That was long! I know that I could have split it up in two parts, but I didn't feel like it. (In this story there's one chapter will be like one day!)**

**Remember: Pull vote.**

**Remember also that the more reviews I get the quicker I update!**

**I'll be seeing you in the next chapter!**

**R&R  
**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hello again! This is the penultimate present chapter!**

**Just remember to vote on the pull and review when you're done!**

**Enjoy the chapter!  
**

* * *

May snuggled closer to her pillow, her soft and a the same time 'fleshy' pillow... May's eyes stirred open as she saw the sleeping face of the dark haired trainer.

"Ash!" May shouted as she hit him in the stomach, but she didn't move away. "I told you not to try anything!"

Ash awoke with a yawn and looked around in the room, when he spotted the brunette he got a smile on his face.

"As I recall it May, it's my bed..." Ash stated with a smile.

May's face turned bright red as she looked around and saw the surroundings of the room.

"B...bu...but.... I..." May began to strutter as she noticed how both of them only had their undergarments on. "D.... did we.... did we do....it?"

Ash frowned. "No, we didn't do it," his frown turned to a smile. "You came here last night and crawled into my bed, I don't know if you were sleepwalking or came here consciously, but I thought that I should just let you sleep."

May didn't know if she should punish Ash or thank him. She decided to just snuggle into his chest and wrap her arms around his neck, she felt Ash's arms around her waist.

"Do we have to get up?" She asked after a time. "It's comfortable like this."

"Well..." Ash began. "My battle doesn't start in a long time and I've got the pokemon I need for it. I also think Pikachu doesn't want us to move." He added with another smile.

May looked up and spotted the rodent on top of her, curled into a ball and slept peacefully. May giggled and snuggled closer into Ash's chest.

They laid like that for a quarter or more, neither of them wanted to get up. That was until...

"Ash! I heard that you locked Misty and Gary into..." Brock shouted as he rushed into the room.

"Brock!!" The couple yelled at him as May threw a pillow towards him.

Brock stopped dead-track as he spotted Ash and May in the same bed with just their undergarments on. He blushed slightly and then his face cracked up to a smile.

"Nice going Ash!" He praised him with a thumbs-up.

"It's not what it looks like!" The couple shouted at Brock.

"Yeah yeah, whatever you says." Brock slowly said as he looked at May.

"Get your eyes of my girlfriend or you're gonna pay..." Ash growled as he saw the breeder ogle the beautiful brunette.

Brock did some kind of 'yelp'-sound as he ran out of the room and closed the door.

"I think we need to get up May..." Ash saddened stated as he began to slowly wake Pikachu up and get up from the bed himself.

"Do we have to?" May whined. "Can't we just stay a little longer?"

"You want more people to rush into the room?" Ash asked with one of his eyebrows raised.

May blushed. "No! I just meant..." She tried to find the right words. "Gah! Fine!"

She threw the bedsheets of her and got up from the bed.

Ash stopped in his movement and looked at her perfect and slim figure with drool in the corner of his mouth. Her brown hair was a little tousled, she had red panties and a red bra. Just the imagination of her could make a man faint, and now she stood in front of Ash with her full beauty. May noticed that Ash looked spaced out and had his eyes on her, she blushed and looked down towards the ground. Then the thought struck her that he's able to make imaginations about her, she grew angry and threw a pillow on him.

The pillow that struck Ash's face quickly took him out from his trance.

"W.. what?!" The confused trainer asked and looked around in the room.

"You have to wait a little longer before that happens!" May scolded him as she dressed herself.

Ash looked confused for a moment, then he started to blush slightly and a smile grew on his face.

"So it is a possibility?" He asked with another smile.

"What?!.... No!... I mean, yes... or..." May began to turn into a deep shade of red as she tried to explain for Ash without making it sound to wrong.

Now it was Ash's turn to threw a pillow on her, taking her out of her strutter.

"I was only kidding May, I would never force you into something." Ash assured her. "Isn't that right Pi?"

The fully awaken rodent nodded happily and jumped onto its master's shoulder.

"I thought so." Ash smiled.

Pikachu started to whisper something into Ash's ear, the rodent had a ting of red over its face.

"Are you sure?" Ash asked his little pokemon. Pikachu nodded.

The trainer turned to the fully dressed coordinator.

"You wouldn't mind to leave your Glaceon here with Pikachu while you and I goes and get something to eat?"

May looked puzzled at Ash for a moment, then she giggled and nodded.

"Sure Ash." She took out her red and white pokeball and threw it into the air. "Come out and say 'hi' Glaceon!"

The blueish fox looked around in the room and saw its master and her mate, she then saw her master's mate's faithful little yellow pokemon smiling at her.

Glaceon gave a squealing-like sound and tackled Pikachu from Ash's shoulder and began to rub her chin against the little rodent's.

"We'll be back in a moment guys!" May said happily as she took Ash's arm and walked out the door.

"Don't do anything stupid Pi." Ash warned his pokemon. "I don't have time right now to take care of Pichu's or Eevee's."

Pikachu shouted something to its trainer that wasn't meant to be taken as a compliment, Ash just laughed and let May drag him towards the cafeteria.

Pikachu looked at the Eevee evolution and started to curse its master under its breath for being responsible for the awkward silence.

* * *

May continued to drag Ash towards the eating-place as she found the way to be blocked by three girls, two of them smirking and the other one looked curious on them.

"Dawn, Misty, Lucy!" May began as she quickly let Ash's hand go. "Why aren't you down and eating?"

"May, you know that I was just kidding when I told you to get children with Ash as soon as possible?" Dawn asked her with a worried look as Misty glared at Ash, causing him to sweat-drop.

"What!?" May shouted and started to wave her hands frantically in front of her face. "Nonononono! I didn't sleep with Ash! Well... I did it in a way.... But that's not the way you think!!"

The group of girls, including Ash, started to laugh at May's embarrassment.

"Take it easy, we're only kidding with you May!" Dawn assured the brunette that was now blushing deep red. "Ash is too dense to know about those kind of things. Isn't that right Ash?"

Ash only looked up at the roof and whistled innocently. Causing everybody in the hall to either blush or sweat-drop.

"But I still think that you should use protection." Misty cut in with a mischievous smirk, causing May to glare at her and blush even more.

Ash thought it was time to get to his girlfriend's aid.

"Funny that you said that Misty." Ash stated with an evil smile. "I was about to say exactly the same thing about you and Gary..."

Misty had tried to block Ash's mouth with her hands before those words were let out. But it was too late. Lucy watched Misty with one of her eyebrows raised and May giggled, Dawn looked like she was preparing to fly through the roof thanks to that piece of information.

"You and Gary are together?!" She squealed, making Ash to take his hands in front of his ears and groan loudly.

"That's so awesome!" Dawn continued. "Can I be the bridesmaid?! Can I!?"

Ash and May began to laugh at the scene and get a strange feeling of Déjà vu. They shrugged and continued to walk towards the cafeteria with Lucy, they had left Misty and Dawn for their 'little' chat.

"So, Misty and Gary are together now...?" Lucy asked with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Yeah, but don't worry!" May said as she heard Lucy's sadness. "We're going to get you and Brock together, isn't that right sweetie?"

"Don't look at me!" Ash stated calmly. "Only one matchmaking per story for me!"

"What?"

"What?" Ash responded.

May shrugged and turned to the already blushing Lucy.

"Don't listen to him, he may be handsome, caring and smart. But when it comes to love he's as dense as a Diglett..." May said not fully truthfully.

"Hey! I recent that!" An annoyed Ash fake sobbed.

"Anyway," May continued and ignored Ash. "Don't worry, I swear I'll find a way to make you and Brock together!"

The two girls began to walk towards the cafeteria again with Ash behind them. They heard Ash mutter something all the way towards their target, but the only things they heard were: 'Not as hard as it looks like', 'block sauna' and ' turn on the heat'. But they simply ignored him.

They met the rest of the group, including Sarah and her parents at the cafeteria. They all had a friendly chat and none of them, except Gary, seemed to know about the 'incident' last night.

"Alright!" Ash shouted, startling everyone. "To avoid awkward moments and stupid questions I'm going to make it clear!"

The group watched him with interest.

"First off, May and I did sleep with each other!" The group gasped and May looked like she was about to kill her boyfriend. "But not the way you think! We only shared the same bed!"

The group sighed in relief.

"Second, Gary and Misty are a couple! Don't ask me any questions and..."

Ash stopped due to that his girlfriend and Gary tried to cause him a great deal of pain and shut him up.

Seconds later you could see Gary lie on his stomach trying to get up while Ash's right foot was on his back, Ash also held May in a firm grip over his right shoulder.

"Now," Ash started, still in the same position. "I'm going to get something to eat, feel free to ask Gary questions about last night!"

With those words he got off Gary and walked towards the food stand, with May still on his shoulder.

"Well..." Richard, Sarah's father, said to his wife Amelia. "This seems like an interesting group of youngsters." The mother nodded her head in agreement as she watched Tracey glare at Gary, Brock and Max giving each other confused looks and Ash grabbing a food tray and lass food on it with May still over his shoulder.

* * *

"You can let me down now sweetie." May told the trainer with an angelic voice.

"And what does I get if I do that?" Ash asked with a smile as he carried his tray towards an empty table.

May whispered something into Ash ear, causing him to let her down quickly.

May looked at Ash for a moment, then she slapped him lightly on the face. Ash rubbed the red mark on his cheek and looked at May with an annoyed look. May looked at Ash also, she then giggled and took Ash into a kiss. Ash got the hint and wrapped his arms around her waist as she took hers around his neck. May felt Ash's hands slowly making their way towards her hips, making her to moan and giggle as she deepened the kiss.

"Ehum!" The couple quickly separated at the sound of Richard Williams. "Are we interrupting something?"

May began to blush deep red and look down to the floor. She heard Ash chuckle and explain for the parents, they seemed to understand and walked to stop their daughter to come into another argument with Max.

May looked at Ash and saw his little smirk.

"That's was my revenge for slapping me..." He whispered into her ear.

May looked at him with an annoyed look with her hands on her hips. Then the look turned into a smile as she leaned closer to Ash and whispered something.

"Then maybe I should slap you more..."

She giggled at the look on Ash's face. Ash shrugged and made a gesture for her to sit down at the table, they then began to eat from the tray that Ash had got.

* * *

"Misty!" Tracey shouted as he saw Misty walk really fast down the stairs, probably to get away from a certain blue-haired girl. "Tell me that Ash's words wasn't true and that you and Gary aren't a couple!"

Misty threw Ash a glare as she saw him sitting at a table with his girlfriend and eat.

Misty sighed, Gary had told her about his and Tracey's little competition for Misty's heart.

"I'm sorry Tracey, I think you are sweet, but I'm in love with Gary."

Gary heard those words and smiled as he walked up to Misty and wrapped one of his arms around the redhead.

"I'm sorry Tracey." Gary said truthfully. "But it looks like she liked me most."

Tracey looked down on the floor with a sigh, a sad smile appeared on his lips.

"Well Gary, congratulations." Tracey admitted. "Looks like you won this battle."

Tracey felt an arm be wrapped around his shoulder.

"Don't worry my friend!" Brock declared with a high voice. "Also I have been stranded at the beach of love! But I made myself a raft! So now I'm circling around the islands in the quest for my love!"

Everybody sweat-dropped at Brock's outburst. It didn't get better that he spotted Lucy in his speech. He quickly let go of Tracey and ran up to the Pike Queen.

"My fair lady! My raft has been stranded on the island of love! Let us make a ship to sail away in the sunset in the hunt of eternal happiness!" The love-struck man cleared as he took Lucy's hands in his and got down on one knee.

"Well.... I... I don't..." Lucy stuttered while blushing like crazy.

"Don't worry!" Brock assured her with his dramatic voice. "There's no stop for our love and..."

He didn't get any longer until a bored Max dragged him away from the girl.

"Don't be such a drama queen Brock, you really think that..." Max stopped in his sentence as he felt a jab in his stomach, he looked and saw a blue frog with a glowing hand look at him before the boy collapsed on the ground.

Croagunk took Max and dragged him away from the scene, the whole group gave him a puzzled look.

"Anyone else that agrees that we won't speak about that incident?" Gary asked the group, he got agreements in response.

The researcher felt somebody pull his shirt and saw a blue-haired girl look at him with an interested look.

"Um..." Gary started. "Can I help you, Dawn?"

"What do you think about purple suits?"

* * *

May had finished with eating her food and saw that Dawn had began to give Gary really awkward questions about weddings and other things that a normal person wouldn't feel to happy to respond. She decided it was time to explain her plan to Dawn.

"Ash." She looked at the raven-haired trainer. "I need to talk to Dawn, you want to come?"

"Nah." Ash responded her with a smile. "I'm starting to get afraid of that blue-headed maniac. I need to go and get Pi to make us ready for our battle, you want me to get Glaceon too?"

"That would be nice." May said with a smile and gave Ash a quick kiss on the lips. "I'll see you soon!"

Ash nodded and got up from his chair and then started to walked up the stairs.

* * *

Dawn felt someone drag her away from her 'nice little chat' with Gary and drag her towards the other side of the room. Dawn looked up and saw May look at her with a slight annoyed look.

"May!" The blue haired girl said. "What can I do for you?"

"I need your help." May's only respond was.

Dawn gave her a puzzled look, but when May did a gesture towards Brock and Lucy she got what May meant.

"Oooh!" Dawn cooed excited. "I'm going to be a matchmaker!"

"Yeah, I need your help." May told Dawn. "I need to know if you got any ideas."

"Can't Ash help you?" Dawn asked puzzled. "He's your boyfriend after all."

May sneered.

"His idea was that I should lock in Brock and Lucy into a sauna and turn on the heat."

Dawn started to laugh and May soon joined in.

"Yeah, like that's going to help!" Dawn said between her laughter.

"I know!" May stated and laughed equally much as the blue-haired coordinator.

They waited for their laughter to calm down before they spoke again.

"So, what's you plan?" Dawn asked.

"I don't know yet, do you have any ideas?" May asked her best friend.

Dawn's eyes began to lit up at those words, she quickly began to blabber in a high speed that May barely could figure out what she said.

"If we borrows Ash's Garchomp and makes it abduct Lucy, Brock will run after her and then when he battles it we will makes so he wins and then when they have got back we can make the Garchomp to attack again! And, when Brock defeats it another time, Lucy's going to explain for him her love as thank and then you, me and Misty comes and dance around them in the sync of my favorite song wearing matching dresses and then..."

"Hold on!" May shouted to Dawn as she sweat-dropped. "We can't do that!"

"What?" Dawn asked with a sad look. "Why not?"

"Because...." May thought for a moment, she didn't want to tell her friend that the thought of borrowing one of Ash's pokemon to abduct Lucy and then dance around in matching dresses wasn't her favorite thing to do.

"Because... Ash's Garchomp has left!" May almost yelled and begged to Arceus that it would work.

Dawn looked disappointed and May sighed in relief.

Dawn looked like she was about to open her mouth again to give May another 'great' idea, but May quickly interrupted her.

"Why can't we take Brock and Lucy to a room in private, just the two of them!"

Dawn seemed to think about it, it wasn't as near romantic as her plans, but she thought that it would do.

"Fine, when are we going to abduct them?" Dawn asked with a smile.

"We are not going to abduct anyone!" May scolded Dawn. "We're just going to lead Lucy and Brock towards an empty room."

"No pokemon?"

"No pokemon." May said with a stern voice that could almost match Ash's.

Dawn pouted but agreed the second after, just as long as she could say that she helped them together she would be happy.

The two girls walked towards Brock and Lucy, on their way the stepped over the unconscious body of the short trainer.

Lucy and Brock seemed to just have taken glances at each other and then look away, neither of them seemed to be brave enough to make a move, which surprised May and Dawn due to Brock's normal personality.

"Brock, Lucy!" Dawn almost shouted, she was too excited. "We need you to see something!"

The breeder and Pike Queen looked at each other before they shrugged and walked towards Dawn and May.

"What do you want us to see?" Brock asked the blue haired girl.

"You'll see! Come on!" Dawn shouted and ran towards a door, making the others sweat-drop due to the blue-haired girl's excitement.

They looked at May and saw the brunette shrug her shoulders and after that walk after Dawn. Brock and Lucy looked at each other again and shrugged as May and followed the two girls.

They followed Dawn through several rooms until they finally came to a small room with just two chairs and a small lamp in the roof, the room had no windows and gray walls, it looked like a storage room.

"In here!" Dawn said excitedly and made gestures with her hand. "Come on! Hurry!"

Brock and Lucy walked into the room and felt the door close behind them, then they heard somebody turn around the key.

"Dawn! What are you doing?" Brock shouted to the door.

"It wasn't me!" Came a voice from the other side of the door. "It was May who locked the door!"

"I don't care who it was that locked the door!" Brock continued. "Unlock it now!"

"Can't do!" Came the voice from May. "Not until you have told each other how much you like each other!"

Both Brock and Lucy began to blush deep red as they looked at each other.

"W... what do you mean?" Lucy asked with an insecure voice.

"Oh quiet!" Dawn scolded her from the other side. "Just tell him how much you like him!"

Lucy began to blush even redder as she looked at the breeder.

* * *

"What are you doing?"

Both Dawn and May jumped by the voice of that little girl.

"Sarah!" May scolded her. "Don't scare us like that!"

"Sorry..." Sarah said and looked down to the ground. Then she looked up again. "What are you doing?"

"We're trying to get Brock and Lucy together. Be quiet! I can't hear what they're saying!" Dawn told the two girls.

Saran and May nodded and started to eavesdrop to the conversation between the breeder and Frontier brain.

"I leave you alone for 15 minutes and you already plays matchmaker?"

The three girls jumped a little at the sound of the deep but yet mature voice.

"Ash!" They all shouted.

"That would be me..." Ash said in a tone full of dislike. "I don't think that they would approve of that you're eavesdropping on them..."

Dawn and May looked down to the ground in shame, but Sarah just giggled and continued to try to listen through the door.

"Be quiet Ash! I can't hear them!" Sarah told the dark-haired young man.

"It's your choice..." Ash calmly said and leaned against a wall with his arms crossed and Pikachu on his right shoulder.

May and Dawn quickly got back to the door and tried to listen to the conversation. After a few seconds they gave up.

"I can't hear anything!" Sarah whined.

"Me neither!"

"You think they doesn't want to talk to each other?" May asked worryingly, she knew how Brock could be sometimes.

Ash sighed.

"Here, let me try..."

Ash put his ear towards the door and closed his eyes, Pikachu did the same thing. After a couple of seconds Ash redraw his head with a smile on his face, you could see that the smile on the rodent's face was equally big.

"What?" Dawn asked excited.

"I think you should open the door, just in case so nobody gets hurt..."

The girls looked at him confused, then they slowly locked up the door and opened it quietly. Ash quickly blocked the sight of Sarah with his hands before the door opened, the smirk was still on his face.

Dawn and May looked into the room and saw something that looked like a wrestling match, but it involved their mouths.

"That's great!!" Dawn and May squealed, causing Lucy and Brock to shouted in surprise and let go of each other.

"Sorry mate..." Ash apologized to Brock. "But it's time for us to go to the battle."

Brock and Lucy were blushing like furiously all the way to the cafeteria. When they got there they saw that all of their friends were down the lobby, all of them seemed excited to watch Ash's last match.

"Alright!" Ash shouted to get everyone's attention. "It's time to go to my final battle, but first I have something to tell yo..."

Ash felt Brock's hand clasp his mouth.

"I'm gonna say it Ash... not you..." Brock told Ash with a small smile as he let go of Ash's mouth.

"Well..." Max started, he seemed to have recovered from the Poison Jab. "What were you going to tell us?"

Brock stepped forward with a smile on his face.

"Lucy and I are together!"

Max and Misty burst into laughter, making the others give them confused looks.

"hahahaa!" Max began. "You're telling us that YOU managed to get a girlfriend?!"

"B... Brock!" Misty said between her laughter. "You shouldn't joke about things like that!"

"Actually it's true." Lucy stepped to Brock's side. She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "We're together."

Those words made Misty and Max to faint.

"Is it just me or are you also certain that we might have missed something?" Richard asked his wife in a confused tone.

"Well..." Ash began after a moment of silence. "Looks like we needs to carry these two." He made a gesture to the fainted Misty and Max. "Who's up for the challenge?"

Gary got Misty in a fireman's grip over his shoulder and Brock did the same thing with Max.

* * *

When everyone were ready they started to go towards the big arena, the one that was built only for the final matches, the one that was used only one time per twentieth year, the one that the history of two trainers should be decided, the...

"Ash..."

Ash interrupted his thoughts and looked at the brunette.

"What is it May?" He asked with a smile.

"You seems kinda spaced out." May told him with a sweet smile. "Are everything alright?"

Ash sighed.

"Truth to be told... no." May gave Ash a puzzled look. "When I entered this tournament I didn't think that I should battle in the finals. Sure, I battled in the semifinals but that was a complete difference. I don't know if I can win this or not..."

Ash got interrupted once again as May pressed her lips against his, he stopped and wrapped his arms around her and she laid her hands on his chest. When they broke the kiss Ash saw a smile on May's face. She backed away from him and stood with the others in the group, everybody looking at Ash, smiling.

"Ash, we doesn't care if you loose or not." Brock told him with a comforting smile.

"You are our friend no matter what." Tracey cut in.

"And we'll always love you!" May told the raven haired boy with a big smile and a slight blush.

Ash turned away from them to dry the tear away that had been coming out from his eye, the group noticed that and smiled.

"Thanks guys, that meant a lot to me." He told them with a slight unsteady voice. It had been years since anyone treated him like that. He could feel Pikachu rub his cheek against its master's. "I think I'm ready!"

"That's great Ash!" May kissed him. "But remember that you doesn't need to win!"

"Don't worry May, I won't." Ash told his lovely girlfriend with a smile.

They saw the arena and gasped at the sight of it.

It was one of the biggest things that they had seen and on top of it were flags fluttering in the winds, there was equally many flags from both Kanto and Sinnoh, representing the two finalists.

"Look at the size of that thing!" Sarah said in an astonished voice.

"Yeah, no building in the four regions have cost this much."

The group looked surprised at the short trainer.

"Max! When did you wake up?"

"For a couple of minutes ago." Max told them while Brock began to put him down to the ground. "The arena is the biggest and most expensive building in the world! It can take up to 200.000 seats, plus the honorary seats and booths!"

The group shivered at the thought of standing in the middle of the arena with the eyes of over 200.000 people on them. They looked worried on Ash and saw that he had already left.

"Where's Ash?" Dawn asked worried. "Weren't he able to take the pressure?"

May smiled.

"Don't worry, he just went to his locker room to get ready!"

Meanwhile the rest of the group had listened on Max's explanation, Ash had kissed May goodbye and told her that he was going to make himself prepared.

"Well, then the only thing we can do is to find our seats!" Gary told with his voice filled with excitement, the group looked at his very 'un-Gary'-like personality.

The group shrugged and walked towards the booth that Ash had given them.

* * *

Ash looked at his little rodent, then he looked at the five pokeballs that were in front of him.

"You think we can make this Pi?"

"Pikachu, pika pikaPi pikachu chuu!"

Ash laughed at the rodents try to make a joke out of the situation.

"Whatever happens Pi, I want to thank you for being here. Even if we will loose I'll be proud of you, and the rest of my pokemon too."

Pikachu jumped into the trainers arms with a squeal of delight, Ash chuckled and embraced the little yellow pokemon.

"Are you ready to battle with everything we got?!" Ash asked the rodent as he felt the adrenaline rush through his body.

"Pika!" The rodent cheered.

"Let's go then!"

He grabbed his pokeballs and attached them to his belt, then he walked towards the arena were an excited, big crowd would be waiting for him, he didn't hesitate with any step he took.

* * *

"Does it start soon mom?"

Amelia looked at her little daughter and smiled.

"Don't worry sweetie, I'm sure they will start soon."

Richard looked at the group with a small smile, he has always been a big fan of pokemon battles.

"I still don't know why Ash let us be here with you. Not that I don't want to! It's just that he barely knew us and still invites us to sit in a place where you get the best view of the battle!"

May smiled.

"Don't worry, Ash has always been that way. And I think that he counts you as his friends, isn't that right Sarah?"

Sarah nodded happily.

May sighed in relief, if they really knew what Ash's real reason for them to sit here they wouldn't be too happy.

_"____I want them close to me so that little so-called-girl doesn't decides to bother me.... In other words: talk with me...__"_

May smiled at those words, she could really tell that Ash hadn't meant them. On the contrary, she knew that he had grown really fond of Sarah.

May snapped out of her thoughts as she heard the same announcer as yesterday.

"**Welcome to the battle between Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town and The Top Battle ****Competition Tournament champion..... Cynthia Shironaaaaa!!!!**"

The crowd erupted in cheers as they saw the trainer and the champion walk out on the field. Half of the arena were people from Kanto and Johto, they were all rooting for Ash. The other half were people from Sinnoh and Hoenn, they were rooting for the champion.

* * *

Ash saw Cynthia walk out from the other side of the field the same time as he did.

"Well... at least she doesn't put up a show..." Ash told the rodent on his shoulder with a low voice.

"Pika..." Pikachu agreed.

They continued to walk towards the middle of the field, the spectators watching every step as they cheered them on.

The referee had walked to the middle of the field too and had his traditional microphone with him.

"Welcome to the battle between The Champion Cynthia Shirona and Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town in Kanto..."

The crowd cheered possibly even bigger.

"This will be a six on six battle, there will be no time-limit or substitutions during the battle, so choose carefully. The battle is over when all of the pokemon on one side are unable to continue! After one of the trainers has lost three of his or her pokemon we will have a half hour break! Has the opponents understand the rules?"

Ash and Cynthia nodded without taking their gazes away from the other.

"Alright, go back to your sides so we can have this battle started!!"

Ash raised an eyebrow at the referee's outburst but did has he was told, he saw Cynthia do the same thing.

"Both of you! Grab a pokeball!" Called the referee out.

Ash took forth one of his red and white balls and saw Cynthia do the same thing.

"Call out your pokemon!!"

The two trainers threw their balls into the air at the same time.

"Charizard! Battle stance!" Ash shouted as he summoned the giant red lizard.

Charizard gave out a loud roar and spread its wings as he landed on the field.

"Gastrodon, fight for me!" The champion called out.

The pokeball opened and revealed a pink and brown sea slug pokemon.

Gastrodon landed on Cynthia's side of the field and glared at Charizard, Charizard did the same thing.

The crowd started to mumble to each other, a battle between a fire-flying type versus a ground-water type were almost always decided who's gonna win the battle of the two pokemon.

"Begin the battle!" The referee shouted and lowered his flags.

"Charizard, use Flamethrower!" Ash ordered his pokemon.

"Take the attack head on." Cynthia told her pokemon in a calm voice.

Charizard opened its mouth and released a powerful jet of flame, the attack headed straight towards the slug-pokemon and struck it into its chest. The attack pushed Cynthia's pokemon back a bit, it also grunted a little in pain. Cynthia raised her eyebrows impressed.

* * *

"Why did she just let it take the attack head on?" Sarah asked nobody special.

"I think that she's testing Ash's Charizard's strength!" Max told her astonished. "And I can't believe that Charizard's Flamethrower did some damage!"

"It's Ash after all!" May stated with pride of her boyfriend. "What?" She asked confused as she blushed by the looks she got.

* * *

"It's out turn to strike Gastrodon." Cynthia said with a smile, alerting Ash to be on his guard. "Use Water Pulse!"

Gastrodon opened her mouth and unleashed a great ball of water towards the red dragon.

"Take air Charizard!" Ash shouted, he didn't dare to challenge Cynthia in a battle of pure power.

Charizard spread its wings and took of with a speed that made people in the arena gasp in surprise. The ball of water went under him and missed with a couple of centimeters. The ball continued towards Ash so he was forced to dodge it, it hit the wall with a great explosion of water.

"Use Dragon Pulse in the air!" Ash ordered his pokemon.

Charizard began to charge up a greenish ball into its mouth and then released it with an incredible speed towards his opponent.

"Counter it with Mud Bomb." Cynthia told her pokemon with almost a yawn.

Great balls of mud came out from Gastrodon's mouth as they were launched towards Charizard. They collided with the Dragon Pulse and caused a great explosion into the air.

"Keep it up!" Both of the trainers ordered their pokemon.

The battle continued with Charizard flying around into the air, launching green balls towards the slug pokemon and from time to time a Flamethrower. Gastrodon launched mud bombs towards the red lizard, some of the collided with the Dragon Pulse's and some missed.

The crowd followed the battle with their eyes wide opened, neither of them could see the end of this battle... except the two trainers.

"Charizard! Break the attack and head towards Gastrodon, avoid anything that comes towards you!"

"Keep up with the Mud Bombs!"

Charizard grunted as he flew towards the firing pokemon, dodging gracefully every attack that were sent towards him. He was just a few meters away...

"Use Giga Impact!" Ash shouted desperately.

"Whirlpool!" Cynthia ordered her pokemon quickly.

Gastrodon opened its mouth and began to glow slightly blue, a small tornado of water was formed from its mouth as it began spin faster and faster... That was until Charizard charged into its oppoent with an incredible speed, grunting in pain from the collision.

"Gastrodon!" Cynthia almost yelled.

Ash gritted his teeth, not that Charizard had been able to land an attack on its opponent, it was because the Whirlpool had struck Charizard at the same time as he collided with Gastrodon. He could see Charizard roar in pain as the attack struck him. If it had been fully launched Ash was sure that Charizard had fainted on the spot, but now Charizard had managed to take himself back to Ash's side of the field, panting but glaring at its opponent. Gastrodon seemed to have taken damage from Charizard's bold attack too, but not as much as the dragon.

"Use Water Pulse Gastrodon!" Cynthia ordered, she wasn't gonna hold back at Ash now.

"Take flight Charizard!" Ash shouted.

Charizard spread its wings and tried to fly, but he was too tired to lift himself from the ground, Charizard saw the attack coming closer and closer at him, he did the only thing he could do at the moment. Charizard unleashed a Flamethrower with all his remaining strength, the flame went under the ball of water. Cynthia smirked, she thought that the attack had missed to counted hers. Her smirk turned into a frown as she saw her pokemon be hit by the Flamethrower at the same time as Charizard got struck by the Water Pulse.

"Charizard is unable to battle!" The referee shouted. "Gastrodon wins the match!"

"Thanks Charizard, I'm very proud of you!" Ash told the pokeball silently as he recalled his pokemon.

Gastrodon still seemed to stand ready to fight more.

* * *

"Ash lost a pokemon!" Sarah screamed terrified. "Why did he do that?!"

"You have to remember that Ash is battling one of the best trainers in the world." Brock explained to the little girl. "And I'm very impressed by Charizard to be able to hold out that long!"

"Yeah, that dragon got to be the strongest of its kind!" Richard stated with amazement.

* * *

"It's time to finish this..." Ash muttered under his breath. "Sceptile! Battle stance!"

The green lizard emerged from the ball with its traditional twig in its mouth. He looked at the pokemon in front of him with great contempt before he spit the twig in front of it.

"Sceptile versus Gastrodon!" The referee shouted. "Begin the battle!"

"Let's finish this Gastrodon!" Cynthia told her pokemon. "Use Ice Beam!"

"Agility to avoid it Sceptile." Ash replied calmly.

Gastrodon opened its mouth and shot out a beam of ice towards the green lizard. Sceptile disappeared in a big blur and appeared behind its opponent.

"Finish it with Leaf Blade!" Ash shouted over the field.

"Protect, quick!" Cynthia yelled.

Sceptile's leaf on its right arm began to glow green as he slashed the pokemon in front of him, he was slightly taken back when he felt an invisible barrier, blocking the blade.

"Shoot him away with Ice Beam!"

Gastrodon launched another beam of ice towards the green lizard, making him to jump away to avoid the attack.

"Circle around Gastrodon with Agility Sceptile!" Ash ordered his pokemon.

Sceptile began to run in a circle in a speed that made it nearly impossible to see him. Gastrodon looked confused around itself, unable to figure out Sceptile's position.

"Close in while circling Sceptile!" Ash ordered with a smirk.

"Try to stop him with Ice Beam!" Cynthia ordered through her teeth.

Gastrodon launched several attack to stop Sceptile, but Sceptile's speed made it so he was able to dodge all of the attack while he closed in on the slug-pokemon. After a few seconds, Sceptile had been coming closer and closer, saw Ash his chance to finish the match.

"Use Leaf Blade Sceptile... many..."

The only thing you could see was several green, shining blades that struck the sea-pokemon, causing it to scream in pain as the attack came quicker and quicker until....

"Gastrodon is unable to battle! Sceptile wins the match!" The referee lowered one of his flags again.

* * *

"Awesome!" Sarah and Max cheered as they saw the outcome of the battle. "Ash's going to win this!"

"Calm down kids." Brock told them with an amused smile. "This match is far from over!"

Brock suddenly felt how the room became cooler around him and how he received death-glares from Max, Sarah and May.

"You're telling us that Ash won't win it?!?" They yelled at the same time.

"Umm,I just..." Brock tried to find the right words. "Look! Cynthia has sent out Roserade!"

The group quickly forgot about Brock and saw the already started battle, the pokemon had dealt several blows to each other already.

* * *

"Take it down with Leaf Blade Sceptile!" Ash shouted, he didn't like that Cynthia had sent out a same-type pokemon.

"Poison Jab!"

_"____Especially them who knows poison moves...__" _Ash thought with a groan as he saw Roserade struck Sceptile with a purple jab.

"Try your Leaf Blade again Sceptile!"

"Use another Poison Jab!"

Sceptile ignored the poison that went through its body as he began to charge towards the human-flower-pokemon with its leaf glowing bright green.

The two pokemon clashed as they began to block and slash at each other with their attacks, it almost looked like a sword fight. The battle went on like that for maybe 15 minutes, but everyone could clearly see that Roserade was the most experienced fighter, Sceptile had managed to hit her a couple of times with his Leaf Blade but Roserade's Poison Jab had struck Sceptile several times and had weakened him considerably with her poison.

"Finish this off with Hyper Beam!" Cynthia ordered her pokemon.

"Sceptile! Avoid it!" Ash shouted.

There was no use, Sceptile was already on its knees, panting heavily. He saw the orange beam charge up and come straight towards him, Sceptile refused to close his eyes and took the attack bravely head on.

Ash looked with sadness on Sceptile's fainted body, he lowered his head and recalled him, whispered thankful words to his pokemon and attached the ball to his belt.

* * *

"Why didn't Sceptile move?" Sarah asked with tears in her eyes, she was clinging to her mother that was trying to comfort the little girl.

"Sceptile has always been some kind of warrior." Brock said a little amused. "He wanted to have some kind of dramatic end..." Then he added. "Like trainer, like pokemon."

The group just watched him like he was crazy.

"You think that we should try this Pi?" Ash asked the rodent on his shoulder as he held a white and red ball in his hand.

"Pika!" Pikachu said encouraging.

"I trust you..." Ash stated as he threw the ball into the air. "Blastoise! Battle stance!"

The great, blue turtle emerged from its pokeball and looked at the opponent that had managed to take down his 'brother-in-arms'.

"Begin the battle!"

"What's he doing?!" Half of the group shouted. "He can't use a water pokemon against a grass/poison-type!"

"I think that he has some kind of plan..." Gary stated and tried to figure out what the raven haired trainer could think of.

"Blastoise, use Hydro Pump!" Ash ordered his pokemon.

"Counter it with Magical Leaf!" Cynthia replied.

Blastoise aimed his bag back-cannons towards the grass-pokemon and launched a powerful stream of water at the same time as Roserade began to send glowing leafs towards the shell pokemon.

The two attacks collided, but somehow the water began to push the leafs back towards Roserade. Roserade cried out in pain as the water and the leafs hit her body with a great speed.

"I hope that you just don't trust in your Blastoise's attack power!" Cynthia called out to the raven haired trainer.

"Don't worry!" Ash shouted back. "I have a few more tricks up my sleeve!"

"That will be interesting to see." Cynthia said mocking. "Shall we begin?"

"Age before beauty!" Ash replied her with a smirk, causing several people in the audience to laugh and Cynthia to growl under her breath.

"Sunny Day!" Cynthia shouted to her pokemon.

"Use Rain Dance!" Ash countered.

Both the pokemon began to glow in a different color before Roserade shot a white beam into the air, Blastoise shot a jet of water.

The crowd watched in amazement as the two attacks almost collided in the sky, but Roserade's attack overpowered Blastoise's and made the sun gazing towards the battlefield.

"Energy Ball!"

"Water Pulse!"

The greenish ball from Roserade collided with the blue ball of water from Blastoise, in the middle of the field there were a big explosion.

"Use Skull Bash!" Ash ordered his turtle-pokemon.

"Wait for the attack!" Cynthia told Roserade with a smirk.

Blastoise lowered its head at the same time as he, with almost an incredible speed, seemed to fly towards the awaiting Roserade. Each second he came closer and closer and Cynthia still had the same smirk on her lips.

"Use SolarBeam!"

Ash's eyes widened, how could he had forgotten about that!?

"Blastoise! Interrupt your attack and fall back!" Ash shouted with all his might.

Blastoise tried to stop his charge and turn around, only to be struck by a beam of light in its back. Blastoise roared in pain as he was sent flying towards Ash's direction and land with a bug 'thud' in front of its trainer.

"Blastoise! Are you okay?" Ash asked his pokemon with worry.

Blastoise growled as he got up on his feet and began to glare at his opponent.

"That's great!" Ash sighed with relief.

"Now it's our time!" Cynthia told her pokemon. "Charge towards Blastoise!"

"Let's wait and see what's going to happen..." Ash told both of his pokemon in a low voice.

Soon Roserade was only a few meters away from Blastoise.

"Use Energy Ball!" Cynthia ordered her pokemon.

"Blastoise, use Ice Beam!" Ash told his pokemon with a smile.

Roserade launched a greenish ball towards the turtle at the same time as Blastoise shot out a small beam of ice. The Ice froze the ball, but the ball still kept going towards Blastoise.

"Use Aqua Tail!" Ash, still smirking, said to his pokemon.

Blastoise's tail began to surround itself with water as he did an gracious movement and used the water surrounded tail as some kind of baseball bat. The attack struck the ball, but instead of destroy it it sent it towards Roserade... The ball struck into Roserade with full power, causing her to cry out in pain once again.

"Use SolarBeam!" Cynthia yelled from the other side of the field.

Suddenly Blastoise felt an incredibly strong attack crush into him as he was sent towards the ground... fainted.

"Blastoise is unable to battle!" The referee shouted. "Roserade wins the match! Ash Ketchum has lost three of his pokemon! We will take a 30 minutes pause!"

Ash looked up with a frown as he saw the Sunny Day disappear the second after the SolarBeam was released. He turned and walked towards his locker room.

* * *

"**What a stunning battle!!**" The announcer shouted to the spectators. "**It looks like none of the trainers will give in!! But the question still remains... Will Ash Ketchum, the Kanto native, take the title from Champion Cynthia from Sinnoh!?!**"

"We should go and visit him!" May quickly said to the group. "He needs us!"

"I wish we could..." Brock said with a disappointed voice. "But under the pause its almost impossible to get somewhere, it will take us more than a hour to only manage to get to Ash's room."

"Don't worry Brock!" Lucy said with a smile as she laid hie hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure that Ash understands."

"My beautiful lady!" Brock got down on one knee. "Faith have made us meet and... Gah!!"

"MAX!!" The group shouted at the short trainer.

"Sorry!" Max said quickly as he let go of Brock's ear. "I forgot!"

The group shook their head in amusement.

* * *

"You think we can turn around this Pi?" Ash asked his companion with a slightly worried voice.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu reassured him and got up and started to jab against an invisible opponent. Ash chuckled and rubbed the rodent behind its ear.

"That's right Pi." Ash chuckled. "I forgot that you're left!"

Pikachu nodded proudly and jumped onto Ash's shoulder.

"**Will Ash Ketchum and Cynthia Shirona enter the battlefield!!**" A voice from the speaker called out, startling Ash and his little rodent.

"That pause sure went fast..." Ash muttered under his breath as he walked out on the field.

* * *

"**Welcome back to the match between Ash Ketchum and Cynthia Shirona!!**" The announcer told the public. "**This is the last battle for the tournament title and Ash Ketchum is down to three pokemon meanwhile Cynthia has four pokemon left!! Will Ash manage to turn this around or will Cynthia keep the title?!?**"

"Are the trainers ready to begin the battle?!" The referee asked the two opponents, he got nods of agreements in response.

"Send out your pokemon!"

"Roserade! Fight for me!" Cynthia called out as she summoned the very tired flower-pokemon.

"Muk! I need you assistance!" Ash called out as he summoned Samuel Oak's 'playmate'.

"Begin the battle!" The referee shouted as he tried to block the stench from the sludge-pokemon.

"Magical Leaf!" Cynthia called out, she noticed how hard Roserade had to call out her attack.

Roserade sent the green glowing leafs towards the poison sludge-pokemon. The leaves struck its body and didn't seem to do any harm at all.

"What?!" Cynthia and the crowd shouted as they looked at the smiling Muk.

"Now it's our turn!" Ash told his pokemon. "Use Toxic and charge towards Roserade at the same time!"

Muk released a cloud of think poisonous smoke at the same time as he began to.... drag? himself towards its opponent.

"Use Energy Ball!" Cynthia shouted desperately.

Roserade unleashed a powerful greenish ball towards the approaching Muk. Muk grunted in pain as the ball exploded in its face, but it didn't slow down a bit. Soon it was just a few meters away from Roserade, Cynthia noticed that and figured out what Ash's plan was.

"Get away from Muk Roserade!" Cynthia shouted.

Cynthia watched confused as Roserade made no sign of moving. She looked over to Ash and saw him smile through the poisonous smoke.

"Looks like your pokemon can't move!" Ash called out with a smile. Cynthia still gave him a confused look. "My Muk has that effect on some pokemon!"

Ash turned his attention to the battle.

"Now Muk... What do you say about to take Roserade into a nice hug?"

Muk seemed delighted by that order and 'hugged' Roserade. In other words, Muk threw himself on top of Roserade, almost chocking her.

Ash knew that in Pallet Town there was a professor that sat and laughed now.

"That's enough now Muk!" Ash told his pokemon after a couple of minutes.

Muk returned to his side of the field and watched in confusion at the fainted Roserade.

"Roserade is unable to battle!" The referee shouted. "Muk wins the match!"

"Great job Muk!" Ash smiled, but the smile turned into a frown as he saw Muk panting heavily.

"Muk, what's wrong?"

Muk looked at Ash.

"Muuuk, muk muu!" Muk told him tiredly.

Ash nodded his head with a disappointed look.

"Pikaa?" The little rodent asked his master.

"Muk got hit by several powerful attack when he was over Roserade." Ash explained for the rodent. "He's a rather tired now."

Ash and Pikachu turned their attention to the battlefield and waited for their opponent.

Cynthia had recalled her pokemon with a smile and put the pokeball into her pocket, then she summoned another pokeball into her hand and looked at Ash.

"This pokemon..." She began. "Did I found sealed in a tower at Route 209 in Sinnoh!" She explained for Ash.

"Spiritomb! Fight for me!"

Ash and Pikachu glared at the pokemon that they knew all too well.

"I wish I could say that it was nice to see you again Spiritomb..." Ash told the pokemon with an angry frown, Pikachu did the same thing.

* * *

"Oh no!"

"What?!" The group asked the breeder confused.

"That's the same Spiritomb that we encountered during our Sinnoh adventure!" Brock explained.

"Oh no!" Dawn clasped her hands in front of her mouth.

"What!?!" The group now shouted.

Brock began to give them a short version about what had happened.

The group seemed a bit nervous now.

"You think that Spiritomb recognize Ash?" May asked the breeder with worry.

The group jumped slightly as they heard a loud roar from the forbidden-pokemon.

"I think he do..." Brock gulped.

"Mommy, I'm scared!" Sarah said as she hugged her mother tight.

* * *

"Begin the battle!" The referee said slightly insecure.

"Use Dark Pulse!" Cynthia ordered her pokemon.

Spiritomb unleashed several purple circles towards its opponent, the only problem is that they were heading towards Ash and Pikachu.

Ash watched in horror as the rings got closer and closer, he closed his eyes an prepared for the impact.... there was an explosion.

Ash opened his eyes and saw Muk lay in front of him and Pikachu, glaring at Spiritomb. The crowd began to murmur.

"If your pokemon attacks the trainer again you will be disqualified from the match!" The referee told Cynthia angrily.

"I... I'm sorry Ash!" Cynthia said confused. "Spiritomb has never behaved like this before!"

"Oh, he has behaved like that alright..." Ash mumbled under his breath. "Use Sludge Bomb Muk!"

Muk unleashed several muddy objects that were sent crashing into the keystone-pokemon.

Spiritomb roared in anger as the attack struck him.

"Counter with another Dark Pulse!" Cynthia ordered her pokemon. ".... On the Muk!" She added.

Spiritomb unleashed another strong pulse towards the other side of the field, but now it was meant to hit Muk... and it did.

Ash watched in amazement by the power of that attack, Muk was knocked out cold!

"Muk is unable to battle!" The referee shouted. "Spiritomb wins the match!"

* * *

"How?! It was just one attack!" Dawn shouted.

"You seems to forget that Muk battled against Roserade and took a Dark Pulse for Ash..." Brock told her with his voice filled with dislike.

"I hope that she looses big time!!" Sarah shouted angrily.

"She didn't know what Spiritomb was capable of..." Gary told the little girl. "I'm sure that she wouldn't have used him if she knew what he had planned to do."

* * *

Ash looked at Spiritomb with dislike. He then looked at the rodent.

"You're ready to defeat him once again?"

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted angrily and jumped to the field, facing the ghost-type.

"This battle is Pikachu versus Spiritomb!" The referee shouted. "Begin the battle!"

"Shadow Ball!"

"Thunderbolt!"

The two attacks collided with each other with an incredible force, making the audience to shield their eyes due to the explosion.

"Use another Shadow Ball!" Cynthia ordered her pokemon.

Ash smirked.

"Use Counter Shield Pi!"

Pikachu started, to everybody's amazement, spin around on its back while it released several powerful lightnings towards Spiritomb, creating some kind of barrier. Spiritomb roared in pain and anger as the electricity struck him from time to time.

"Get away from there!" Cynthia shouted to her pokemon. "Use Ominous Wind!"

Spiritomb smirked as the purple aura began to surround him and then shoot towards the little, spinning rodent.

Ash noticed how the attack was going to break Pikachu's shield.

"Fall back Pi!" Ash ordered his rodent.

Pikachu stopped spinning immediately and barely dodged the incoming attack.

"Use Giga Impact!" Cynthia ordered her pokemon.

Spiritomb began to rush towards Pikachu with an incredible speed, preparing to strike him down.

"Dodge and use Iron Tail!" Ash shouted to his pokemon.

Pikachu dodged the attack gracefully meanwhile its tail had began to glow white, he struck the white-glowing tail into Spiritomb and sent him crashing towards the ground.

"Now!" Ash screamed. "Use Thunderbolt!!"

Pikachu charged up with all its might an unleashed a powerful bolt of electricity towards the ghost.

"Spiritomb!" Cynthia cried out.

"Keep it up Pikachu!"

The audience saw the little rodent fuse the forbidden pokemon with electricity non-stop.

"That's enough!" The referee shouted. "Spiritomb is unable to battle!"

Ash let Pikachu attack the pokemon a little more before he ordered him to stop.

"Not this time..." Ash smirked as he looked at the fainted Spiritomb.

* * *

"He did it!!" Almost everybody in the group cheered.

"He did it alright... but the battle is still far from over..." Brock stated with a calm smile, he knew that whatever happened Ash would be proud of his pokemon.

* * *

"Milotic! Fight for me!" Cynthia shouted and revealed the graceful sea serpent-pokemon.

"Begin the battle!"

"Use Hydro Pump!" Cynthia ordered her pokemon.

"Dodge it and use Thunderbolt!"

Milotic fired a mighty steam of water to the little rodent. Pikachu dodged it quickly and unleashed a powerful lightning bolt towards Milotic. The bolt struck her with great power, causing her to cry out in pain.

"Are you alright Milotic?" Cynthia asked her pokemon worried.

Milotic gave her trainer a smile and turned her attention to Pikachu.

"Counter Shield!" Ash ordered.

Pikachu began to spin around on the ground and released electricity as a shield, blocking Milotic from attack him.

"Break the shield with another Hydro Pump!" Cynthia told her pokemon.

"Bad move..." Ash smirked.

Milotic unleashed another jet of water towards the rodent. The shield managed to block most of it but some it Pikachu, but the little rodent didn't stop his spinning.

Cynthia looked confused at Ash as she saw that he was still smirking, her confusing turned into a look of horror as she saw what was happening.

When the water had made contact with the electricity, the electricity had went through the water and struck Milotic. Cynthia watched in horror as she saw her pokemon scream in pain as the electricity went though her body.

"Finish this with Iron Tail!" Ash ordered.

"Block it with Aqua Tail!"

Pikachu came flying towards Milotic with his tail glowing white meanwhile Milotic came towards him with her tail surrounded with water.

Suddenly Milotic stopped in her movement.

"Milotic! What's wrong?!" Cynthia asked her pokemon.

Milotic didn't answer, she didn't need to. Cynthia saw the electricity surround her pokemon, Milotic was paralyzed!

Pikachu's tail struck Milotic at the head, causing her to shriek in pain once again.

"Please Milotic! Use Dragon Pulse!"

Milotic ignored the stunning feeling of the paralyze and unleashed a powerful green-glowing ball towards the retreating rodent.

"Dodge it Pi!" Ash roared.

Pikachu looked confused behind himself and saw the ball land on his back, causing him to cry out in pain as he got thrown to the other side of the field.

"Are you okay Pikachu?" Ash asked his pokemon.

"Pika!" Pikachu told his trainer with determination.

"That's great, let's finish this!" Ash cheered his pokemon on.

"Milotic, use Hydro Pump! One last time!" Cynthia ordered her tired pokemon.

"Use Volt Tackle Pikachu!" Ash roared.

Milotic shot out a jet of water towards the running little rodent, the attack missed. She shot out another one and the same thing happened.

"Don't shot them in a volley!" Cynthia told her pokemon. "Fire non-stop!"

Milotic nodded and unleashed with all her might a constant jet of water towards the rodent, trying to make it unable for him to dodge.

"Now Pi!" Ash shouted.

Pikachu began to surround itself with a yellow aura as he ran, the aura grew bigger and bigger the faster he ran.

"Into the vortex!"

Pikachu leaped head-on into the water-attack and began to spin inside it.

"What's he up to?" Cynthia asked herself.

"Almost there Pi!" Ash cheered him on.

Cynthia saw what he was planning.

"Milotic! Stop you attack! Quick!"

But it was too late... Pikachu struck the sea serpent with an incredible amount of power, causing it to cry out in pain before it was sent crashing to the ground.

"Milotic!" Cynthia cried out.

"Milotic is unable to battle!" The referee shouted as he lowered his flag. "Pikachu is the winner!"

"Thank you Milotic..." Cynthia told the returned pokemon with a smile. "Have a nice rest."

She looked at the raven haired trainer with the panting Pikachu, she was amazed how much beating the little rodent could handle.

"This ends now!" Cynthia shouted as she threw her pokeball.

Ash and Pikachu looked at the pokemon on the field against them, then they began to crack up into a laugh.

"Wobbuffet?" The blue pokemon asked in confusion, he couldn't understand why the two of them were laughing at him.

Ash and Pikachu couldn't help it, the pokemon they were facing reminded them so much of Jessie's Wobbuffet.

"Wobbuffet versus Pikachu!" The referee called out. "Begin the battle!"

"Thunderbolt Pikachu!" Ash ordered, he got serious as soon as the battle began.

Before Cynthia was able to react the attack had landed on her pokemon.

"Use Safeguard." Cynthia ordered with a smile.

"Keep up with the Thunderbolts Pi!" Ash told his pokemon.

Wobbuffet surrounded itself with some kind of blue force field. When the bolt struck him it didn't do any damage.

"Looks like we need to break the field Pi..." Ash told his pokemon. "Keep up with the Thunderbolts!"

Pikachu launched bolt after bolt, each bolt hit their mark but didn't do any damage. 10 minutes passed on, Ash could see the shield grow weaker and weaker.

"Full power!" Ash shouted to his pokemon.

Pikachu nodded and with a "PikaaaCHUUU!" He unleashed a powerful bolt towards the blue pokemon. The audience gasped as they saw Wobbuffet scream in pain as the electricity went through its body.

"Wobbuffet!" Cynthia cried out, she also noticed that Pikachu had began to pant heavily.

"Finish this with Iron Tail Pi!"

"Wait for it!" Cynthia told her pokemon as she saw Pikachu get closer and closer.

Pikachu jumped up with his tail glowing bright white and was about to struck his opponent.

"Use Counter!" Cynthia ordered with a smile.

Wobbuffet began to glow orange as Pikachu came closer. Pikachu cried out in pain as he somehow got damaged by his own attack.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried out. "Are you OK?"

"Pikachu!!" Pikachu shouted angrily.

"Great! Give him another taste of you Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu fused himself with electricity before he unleashed a powerful bolt of thunder towards its opponent.

"Use Mirror Coat!" Cynthia smiled once again.

Wobbuffet began to glow white as the mighty thunderbolt struck him, the audience could see the bolt turn around and hit Pikachu with an abnormal power.

"Pikaaaaaa!!" Pikachu cried out once again as the attack hit him, then he fainted on the ground.

"Pikachu is unable to battle!" The referee shouted as he looked at the trainer that picked his pokemon up. "Wobbuffet wins the match!"

* * *

"How's Ash going to defeat a pokemon like that!?" May yelped.

"I don't know..." Tracey said worried. "But Wobbuffet is really tired!"

* * *

Ash looked at his last pokeball, this was his only chance to win the battle... but did it have the strength to defeat two of the champion's pokemon? Ash was forced to chance.

"Lucario! Battle Stance!"

Lucario emerged from the pokeball and glared at the strange pokemon, he took fighting stance and waited for his master's orders.

* * *

"When did Ash get a Lucario?!" The group asked and looked at Sarah.

"Don't look at me!" She said annoyed. "I don't know what pokemon he got!"

The group shrugged and turned their attention to the battle.

* * *

"Begin the battle!"

Cynthia smiled. "You can have the first move Ash."

Ash didn't say anything. His Lucario began to charge towards Wobbuffet, a white long bone got in his paws.

"___Bone Rush?__" _Cynthia thought as she watched the pokemon get closer and closer. "Prepare to use Counter Wobbuffet!"

When Lucario was just a few meters away from the blue pokemon he heard a voice in his head."___**Switch to Dark Pulse Lucario.**_"

"___**Yes master!**__"_ Lucario thought as he stopped and sent many powerful purple circles towards its opponent.

The attack struck Wobbuffet with a great power, sending him to the ground.

"WHAT!?!" Was the shout over the whole stadium as they saw what had happened.

"Wobbuffet is unable to battle!" The referee shouted. "Lucario wins the match!"

* * *

"What happened!?" Max requested to know. "Why did Lucario attack without Ash's order?!"

"I wonder..." Brock thought for a moment. It was silent in the arena.

Brock leaned over the edge and shouted to the dark haired trainer.

"Ash! Do you communicate with Lucario through your aura?!!?"

They saw Ash look at the breeder for a moment, in the beginning he had an annoyed look, the look then turned into a smirk as he nodded in agreement.

"Aura?" Sarah asked confused. "What's aura?"

"Aura is a form of spiritual energy, It is described as the essence of every living creature." Tracey slowly explained. "What? When you stick around long enough you pick up a thing or two!"

* * *

"Garchomp! Fight for me!" Cynthia shouted as she summoned her last dragon-pokemon.

"Begin the battle!"

"Use Dragon Rush Garchomp!" Cynthia ordered her pokemon.

_"____**Counter it with Dragon Pulse and follow up with Aura Sphere.**__" _Ash thought.

_"____**Yes master!**__"_

Garchomp charged towards Lucario by glowing white and prepared to struck into him, that was before he met a green ball of energy, stopping his attack, then he saw another ball that struck into him. Garchomp cried out in anger as he glared at the aura-pokemon.

"Don't give up Garchomp!" Cynthia told her pokemon. "Use Flamethrower!"

Before Ash and Lucario were able to react the attack had already hit Lucario, making him to roar in pain as he got down to one knee.

_"____**Are you alright Lucario?**__" _Ash thought worried.

_"____**Don't worry master, it takes more than an overgrown shark with wings to take me down!**__"_ Lucario responded with anger towards his opponent.

Ash chuckled.

_"____**That's good, let's use Aura Sphere and then follow up with Close Combat!**__"_

Lucario nodded and charged towards Garchomp at the same time as he summoned a blue ball into his palms.

"Garchomp, slash him with Dragon Claw!"

* * *

The battle raged on for almost an hour! Neither of the pokemon or the trainers wanted to give in, attack after attack landed on the two pokemon and the audience gasped and cheered. The pokemon had began to pant heavily for 10 minutes ago so each attack could be the last.

"Use Flamethrower!"

_"____**Use Aura Sphere to absorb the fire and send it back!**__" _Ash ordered his pokemon.

The flame came towards the aura-pokemon and was about to struck him, Lucario sent out an Aura Sphere and closed his eyes with his palm glowing blue. The blue ball began to enlarge itself as it absorbed the flame. The crowd watched in amazement as the ball was shot towards Garchomp, that was until it hit the ground.

_"____**I'm sorry master... I couldn't keep my focus on...**__" _Lucario thought tiredly.

_"____**Don't worry Lucario, we got to end this quick!**__"_

Ash didn't know that Cynthia whispered the same thing to her pokemon too.

_"____**Use Giga Impact! One last time!**__"_ Ash thought with determination.

_"____**Yes master! I won't fail you!**__"_

Cynthia saw that Ash had ordered his Lucario to do a final move, she could see by the movement in Lucario's attack that it was Giga Impact.

"This is it Garchomp!" Cynthia told her pokemon. "Use Giga Impact with all your strength!!"

Garchomp roared as he charged towards the already charging Lucario, neither of them planed to let their masters down. But they both know, Ash knew, Cynthia knew, the whole stadium knew, that it could only be one winner.

The pokemon roared as they collided, dust flew up around the two pokemon. The crowd gasped and some of the closed their eyes due to the brutishness of the attacks. The crowd were at the edge of their seats as they waited to the dust to go down.

You could see that a dark blue dragon was still standing on the field. People gasped when they saw the aura-pokemon lying on the ground...

Ash lowered his head.

**End of chapter 17**

* * *

**I haven't used a cliffhanger in a long time, so I think that it's time for me to do it now!**

**_ATTENTION:_ I WON'T publish the next chapter until the review counter reach over 200 reviews! (evil? yes... It wouldn't be too hard, you only needs 15 reviews and over 60 people has put this story on favorite and alert!) **

**The poll closes at the same time as I publish my last chapter.**

**If you vote:  
Advanceshipping: AU, Ash has never met May and is going to spend a vacation in Hoenn.  
Pearlshipping: AU, some sort of medival fic.  
No romance: What would've happened if Lucario hadn't been able to push Ash away from the Tree of Beginning? AU, future-fic. (No, Ash won't die!..... in the beginning...)  
**

**I'll be seeing you in the next chapter!**

**R&R! (It's better to review late than never!)  
**


	18. Chapter 18

**Darn! Those reviews got there fast!**

**My last chapter! This is kinda short, it will be like some kind of epilogue. **

**The only thing I want you to do now is to read the chapter and review at the end!**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

_The pokemon roared as they collided, dust flew up around the two pokemon. The crowd gasped and some of the closed their eyes due to the brutishness of the attacks. The crowd were at the edge of their seats as they waited to the dust to go down._

_You could see that a dark blue dragon was still standing on the field. People gasped when they saw the aura-pokemon lying on the ground..._

_Ash lowered his head._

* * *

"Oh no..." Was the only sound from the booth that contained Ash's friends. They looked as the smoke cleared and saw Lucario lay on the ground and Garchomp keeping all his strength to not fall down. The saw Cynthia loom with a confused look on the dark haired trainer and when they turned their gazes to him they that he had lowered his head and was... smiling?

* * *

"_**Lucario...**_" Ash thought to his pokemon. "_**It's okay if you can't get up... but if you can, please do it!**_"

Even though Pikachu couldn't hear Ash he was shouting the same words.

"_**I... I think I can try... master!**_" Lucario panted and clenched his teeth in pain.

"_**Do it for me Lucario, do it for our friends, do it for the aura!**_" Ash communicated with the aura-pokemon.

"_**The... Aura... Is.... With.... Me!**_"

The referee looked puzzled around at the battlefield, for the first time in 10 years he didn't know what he should do. He came to a decision and raised his flags.

"Lucario is..."

"Wait!!" was the sound of half the crowd as they made gestures towards the moving Lucario.

The referee looked and saw Lucario struggle to get up, refusing to back down no matter what.

Lucario supported himself with his hands on the ground, he then raised one foot with a knee bent and push himself up with a struggling roar. Lucario got up and looked tiredly at the Garchomp that seemed to be impressed.

"Ash!" Cynthia called out. "Your pokemon is badly hurt! There is no shame in giving in now!"

Ash looked at the champion for a moment.

"_**Lucario, do you think you can win this?**_" Ash thought to his pokemon.

"_**I will do my best master!**_" Lucario stated as he slowly took battle position.

"Are the trainers ready to continue?" The referee asked Cynthia and Ash.

"I am, what about you Ash?"

"I never give up..." Ash's only words were.

"Ash..." Cynthia said to the trainer with a kind voice. "Your Lucario is tired, the battle is over!"

Ash was starting to grow annoyed by the champion's words.

"A battle isn't over until both sides says that it's over!" He almost shouted to the champion. "And I can see that your Garchomp is equally tired!"

"Begin the battle!" The referee shouted.

"Flamethrower Garchomp! One last time!" Cynthia called out to her pokemon.

"_**Lucario, however it ends I want you to know that I'm proud of you...**_" Ash told his pokemon.

"_**Thank you master... But I will not give up this easily!**_"

"_**I didn't think you would my friend... Use Aura Sphere!**_"

Garchomp opened his mouth and shot out a large jet of flames towards the charging aura-pokemon.

Lucario saw the attack approach him and sent his blue-glowing sphere towards the land-shark.

* * *

The crowd gasped as they saw the two attacks go under and over each other and continue towards the two pokemon. They saw how the pokemon roared in anger and strength as the attacks came closer and closer. The attacks weren't strong due to the tiredness of the pokemon, but they were strong enough to make a little explosion on both of the pokemon. The pokemon staggered backwards, not taking their glares of each other.

The crowd were standing up now, nobody did even blink. May didn't want to watch but a strange force made her to follow every breath of the trainers and pokemon.

Max looked how the pokemon were panting and glaring, never in his whole life he had seen something like this!

Sarah had tears running down her cheeks, she didn't like it one bit to see the pokemon fight to almost death for their masters. But she knew that the two pokemon were very loyal towards their trainers and would never disappoint them.

The crowd gasped and watched in amazement as the blue pokemon fell down to the ground, unable to continue.

* * *

The referee looked at the fainted pokemon for a moment, it tried to stand up but fell down right after. He thought that this was enough. He raised his colored flag towards the fainted pokemon, looking and saw the pride in the trainers eyes.

"Garchomp is unable to battle! Lucario wins the match!" He declared as he lowered his flag. "Cynthia Shirona is out of pokemon! Ash Ketchum wins the match!"

* * *

The crowd exploded in cheers and applause, they had never seen or head about such battle before. The Sinnoh and Hoenn natives cheered for the battle and pride that their champion had showed on the field. The Kanto and Johto cheered for their new champion of the tournament.

"He did it!!" Max shouted as he jumped up and down together with Sarah and Dawn.

"That..." Tracey said breathless. "Was the most astonished battle I ever seen!"

"I'm so proud of him!" Brock cried as he hugged his girlfriend, you could see Gary and Misty do the same thing.

"Well, Ash is surely a good trainer!" Amelia told her husband, she looked around and saw the he seemed to be in a trance of amazement.

May didn't say anything, she just looked at the new champion with her face and eyes beaming of love and happiness.

* * *

"**Incredible people!!**" The announcer shouted. "**Ash Ketchum has defeated all odds and is now the new champion of the Top Battle Competition Tournament!!!**" The crowd exploded in more cheers.

Lucario was down on one knee, feeling pride and loyalty for his master. He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up and saw a mature face with dark hair.

"Thank you... Lucario." Ash told his pokemon with his eyes full of tears. "Thank you..."

"_**It was my honor master...**_" Lucario explained for Ash with a smile.

Lucario felt his master wrap his arms around him and take him into a big hug. Lucario was taken back by the action but smiled and felt his eyes tear up and responded the hug.

"Pikachu!" The little rodent squealed happily as he hugged the aura-pokemon's leg.

"I agree with Pikachu Lucario!" Ash told his pokemon with his smile still on.

"_**Thank you master...**_" Lucario closed his eyes and collapsed in Ash's arms. Ash smiled and took out Lucario's pokeball.

"Take a nice rest my friend!" Ash said as he recalled Lucario.

The raven haired trainer looked up and saw the former champion give him her hand, Ash took it and got up to his feet.

"That was a good battle Ash." Cynthia told him with a smile. "I hope that we'll be able to have this battle again!"

"Who knows Cynthia..." Ash said with a smile. "Who knows..."

Cynthia smiled and walked away from the field.

Ash looked around like it was the first time he noticed the crowd and waved slightly to them, he was responded by great cheers for that action.

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted to his master and pointed.

Ash looked at Pikachu's direction and saw a young brunette run towards him with a smile on her face.

When May was just a meter or two away from Ash she launched herself into his arms. Ash was taken back by the action but caught her and wrapped his arms around her.

May laughed as she took Ash into a kiss. Ash was taken back by that action too but smiled and responded the kiss at the same time as he lifted her from the ground and started to spin her around.

The guys in the crowd whistled to them by that action and the girls either did 'aww'-sounds or glared at the brunette.

Ash broke the kiss and looked at his lovely girlfriend.

"How did you get down here so quick?"

May giggled and blushed a little bit as she looked down towards the ground.

"I climbed down here."

Ash looked at her astonished as he looked at the five meter high booth. His look turn then into one of smile as he picked her up and carried her our from the arena, followed by more cheers.

* * *

_3 hours later..._

Ash was handed the big, golden trophy that represented the TBC-tournament. Ash smiled as he looked at his friends and girlfriend.

"I represent Ash Ketchum! The winner of the his years Top Battle Competition Tournament!!" Cynthia said as a young blonde girl came and gave Ash the trophy. The blonde girl also gave Ash a little kiss on the cheek at the same time, causing him to chuckle nervously and look at his girlfriend with a worried look. He gulped at the glare he was receiving.

"We are also going to give you the price money!" Cynthia stated with a smile.

"Price money?" Ash asked confused.

"Indeed, the winner of the tournament is handed one-hundred billion pokedollars!"

The crowd gasped at just the thought about such amount of money.

Ash looked in disbelief at the Sinnoh champion. He wasn't a big fan of winning tournaments just for money.

"Thank you..." Ash said to everyone in the room. "You don't know how much this means to me..."

Ash halted himself for a moment.

"I can accept the trophy, but you can keep the money..."

With those words he walked down from the podium and went to his friends.

The crowd gasped and looked at him like he was crazy, everyone except his friends. His friends had smiles on their faces

"I know that you would've done that!" Gary told him with amusement in his voice.

"Me too, but it would've been nice with some money to spare." May told him with a smile and thought about shopping together with Dawn and Sarah.

"It's just money guys..." Ash replied them with a smile.

"_I think I can wait a little before I tell them about the money I got from the police when I turned Archie, Maxim, Cyrus and Giovanni in..._" Ash thought with a smirk as he and the group made their way home.

* * *

**Epilogue:**

* * *

_8 years later_

"ASH KETCHUM! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!!"

The group outside the door laughed at the brunette's outburst at the same time as they pitied the raven haired boy.

"You think that he'll be alright?" Lucy asked the group worried.

Brock looked at his wife with a smile. "Don't worry Lucy, Ash has been through a lot tougher situations than this one!"

"I still don't want to be in the same room as Ash right now!" The 16 year old Sarah giggled. "How long has they been in there?"

"I count it to 15 hours!" Gary smirked.

"Poor guy..." Tracey said with his head lowered.

"When are May's parent's going to be here?" Dawn asked the others in the group.

They had taken Ash's words to their hearts and talked with their parents, it weren't easy in the beginning but Ash kept telling them to talk with them. Two years after the tournament they were finally able to have a talk with them and hear their apologize, all except Ash.

"They're going to be here tomorrow, it takes two days to travel from Hoenn to Kanto and..."

Misty's words were interrupted by another scream, they looked around and wondered why they didn't have soundproof walls at the hospital...

* * *

"You're doing great Mrs. Ketchum! Just a little more!" The nurse told the brunette.

"Yes May!" Ash assured her. "Just a little more and it will all be over!"

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANOTHER MORE WORD FROM YOU!!" May screamed at Ash in pain. "IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! IF YOU JUST WERE ABLE TO KEEP YOUR HANDS FOR YOURSELF THIS WOULD NEVER HAD HAPPENED!!"

"You don't mean that May." Ash smiled at the brunette, even if it was a forced smile, as she kept crushing his right hand.

"I MEAN EVERY WORD! WHY DON'T YOU GO AROUND WITH A BABY IN NINE MONTHS AND THEN TRY TO GIVE BIRTH TO IT!!" May shouted at him once again. "IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!!"

"I know...!" Ash groaned as he used his free hand to hold his head.

Ash looked at the scared rodent in the corner of the room.

"How did you manage this Pi?" Ash asked with another groan.

"Pika, pikachu pika!" Pikachu comforted.

"Of course I'm glad that May isn't able to use Ice Beam!" Ash sneered at the rodent's lame attempt to cheer him up.

"It's coming now!" The doctor told everybody in the room.

May screamed once more as she crushed Ash's hand, making him to grit his teeth in pain.

After a minute, that seemed like an hour for Ash, the baby had come out. Ash let go of his wife's hand and walked up to the smiling doctor. He looked at the little boy in his arms, exactly like Ash, except that he had a little visible brown hair instead of black. Ash held the baby and knelt in front of Pikachu so he could get a good look at him. The rodent walked up to the little kid and sniffed at him.

"Will he do Pi?" Ash asked with a smile.

"Pika!" Pikachu gave him a thumbs-up.

Ash chuckled as he wiped the tear from his eye and went to the love of his life. May was laying on the bed, panting from tiredness and exhaustion.

"You were great May!" Ash told her with a smile full of love as he handed the little kid to her. "It's a boy!"

May dried her tears also as she took the little bundle to her chest.

"Red..." She smiled at the boy.

* * *

_10 years later_

A boy walked down the stairs in a house in Pallet Town. He yawned as he scratched his unruly brown hair. The ten year old looked around in the kitchen and saw his tall, raven haired father sit by the table and read the newspaper, a yellow rodent sat on the table. The 35 year old man looked up and saw his son.

"Morning Red!" Ash greeted his son with a smile.

"Morning dad." Red replied. He looked around in the room. "Where's mum?"

"I'm here sweetie!"

Ash and Red turned around to get a look at the beautiful brunette that was standing in front of them, dressed in an apron.

"Morning mum!" Red greeted her also with a smile. "Is the breakfast ready?"

"I'm sorry sweetie, but you won't have time to eat." May replied with a sad smile. "You'll be late."

"What do you mean?" Red asked puzzled. "I got plenty of time to eat!"

"Yes, but you don't have time to wait for breakfast!" May told her son with a frown.

"Wait? You always have breakfast ready as soon as I wake up!" Red cried out desperately.

"Yes, but unfortunately... These two gluttons ate it all..." May frowned and made a gesture towards Ash and his faithful rodent.

"DAD!!" Red cried out in anger and annoyance.

"Oh suck it up!" Ash said to his son with a smile. "We both know that you would've eaten it all up too if you got the chance!"

He was agreed by a "Pika!"

"What am I going to do!?" Red cried out once again.

"You're going to have to skip breakfast if you want to get your pokemon in time!" May told her son simple.

"This is all your fault..." Red growled at his father.

"Heh, that will teach you to plan things better!" Ash said to his son playfully.

May hit her husband gently on the head.

"As I remember it did you OVERSLEPT when you should have received your first pokemon and ended up with getting a Pikachu!"

"And seven years after that I was crowned as the best trainer!" Ash boasted along with his rodent.

"Not officially..." May took her husband down to earth.

"Oh, come on!" Ash cried out at the same time as Pikachu.

May giggled and looked at her son, she couldn't believe that ten years already had passed. Red looked exactly like Ash had done when he was ten year, except for the color of the hair. He had a red cap with a white, half pokeball on it. He wore a red and black T-shirt with gray, baggy jeans and red sneakers. He also had a yellow backpack with him.

"Can we go now?" Red asked annoyed as he glared at his father, he was as big in his appetite like both May and Ash had been.

"Sure son!" Ash said as he got up from his chair with the rodent on his shoulder.

"You're coming to mum?"

"Red, I don't think that it's the smartest thing that May should walk to professor Oak's laboratory when she's in her fifth month!" Ash told his son with a smile.

"Don't worry sweetie!" May assured her son. "You'll get back here so I can say goodbye to you!"

"Don't worry mum, I will!" Red told her as he and his father walked out from the house and towards Oak's lab.

* * *

"Nice to see you again Ash!" Professor Oak told the raven haired trainer.

"It's nice to see you again too Gary!" Ash replied with a smile. "How's Leaf doing?"

"Oh, she's doing alright!" Gary told him with pride. Leaf was his and Misty's daughter, she was about three months younger than Red. "She's already on her journey!"

"WHAT!?" Red shouted. "She has already started her journey!?"

"Well, hi Red. I didn't notice you!" Gary told the boy with a smile. "She left for an hour ago."

"What pokemon did she take?" Ash asked his long time friend.

"A Squirtle of course!" Gary replied with a smirk.

"Can I take my pokemon now professor Oak?" Red asked eagerly.

"I'm sorry Red." Gary frowned. "But you're too late, all the starters has been taken."

"What?!?"

"Well, this is strangely familiar..." Ash whispered to his pokemon. "Pikaa..."

"There must be another pokemon?!" Red almost yelled.

"Well..." Gary hesitated. "There is one that I caught yesterday... but I don't think that..."

"I take it!"

Gary nodded and walked up to the pokeball-machine and clicked on a few buttons. Up came a red and white ball. He took it and handed it to Red along with the rest of his pokédex and pokeballs.

Red took the ball and summoned the creature inside it.

The little yellow mouse blinked several times and looked around.

"Pichu?" The little mouse asked.

"It's so cute! It's the best of all!" Red cried out as he watched the little pokemon in amazement.

Pichu noticed him and jumped into his arms with a glee. Red laughed and hugged his newly pokemon, that was until he felt several volt went through his body.

"Okay, this is just too ridiculous!" Ash told his pokemon as he watched his son getting zapped by Pichu. "The only difference is that his pokemon doesn't knows that it's hurting its trainer!" He glared at Pikachu after those words.

Gary chuckled at the sight.

"Well Red, you're now a pokemon trainer!"

Red, that had recovered from the chock, immediately got up and started to walk towards the door.

"Slow down Red!" Ash called out to his son. "You will catch up with your girlfriend!"

Red stopped dead-track and began blush like furiously.

"Leaf is NOT my girlfriend!" He shouted to his dad.

"Whatever you say son..." Ash smiled.

Red shrugged and hugged his father goodbye, then he walked out towards his journey with his Pichu on his shoulder.

"You know..." Ash told the researcher that stood next to him. "I don't like that he's going to go on an own journey all alone."

"Don't worry Ash, I felt the same thing when Leaf left!" Gary assured his friend.

"Thanks Gary..." Ash smiled.

The two adults continued to look at the walking beginner trainer.

"My son is gonna kick your girl's ass!"

"In your dreams Ashy-boy!"

* * *

_2 years later_

Ash walked home with the rodent still on his shoulder. He saw his wife and their two year old daughter wait for him.

"Hello honey!" May greeted as she kissed her husband. "How was it on work?"

"Great!" Ash responded her and his daughter with a kiss. "You know, being a Frontier Brain isn't half bad!"

"I'm glad that you think that Ash!"

Ash turned around and smiled at the fat man behind him.

"Scott! What can I do for you?"

"You know that the TBC-tournament is starting now?" Scott smiled at the old trainer.

"Yeah, Red is going to participate in the tournament!" Ash stated with pride.

"Yeah, but that's not why I came here..." Scott told him.

Ash gave him a puzzled look.

"Don't you remember that you won the tournament last time?" Scott smiled. "They want you to defend your position! One last adventure!"

Ash looked at the old man, he then looked at his beautiful wife with his little daughter in her arms. He smiled and walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"No thank you Scott." Ash told the man. "I've had enough of adventures for me!"

"Are you sure?" Scott asked the frontier brain with a little disappointment in his voice.

"I'm sure!" Ash smiled.

Scott smiled and gave them his goodbye, then he walked away to his car and drove off.

"You know Ash... you doesn't need to stay home for me." May assured him. "I can take care of Delia a few weeks without you."

Ash looked at his wife with another smile.

"Thank you May, but I've made up my mind..." He kissed her again.

"_The forgotten has returned home..._" He thought with a smile.

**End of Chapter 18**

* * *

**Wasn't THAT a nice ending sentence? :P**

**I'm feeling a little sad that this story has come to its end... But don't worry, I will begin on my new story now!**

**I would like to thank all of you who review, I can seriously say that I hadn't been able to make this story without you!**

**It's better to review late than never!**

**R&R**

**I'll be seeing you in: "A Love Not To Soon To Be Forgotten"!!**


End file.
